[compost_tea] Re: newbie here- question about compost/tea that has gone partly anaerobic

From: sue_plezia <sue_plezia_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 15 May 2011 19:43:36 -0000

I, also, let my worm box lower layers get anaerobic. I kept giving my worm=
s those yummy melon rinds, which kept my box too wet.

Just dump the worm castings on the top of your compost pile. Sun and air w=
ill kill the anaerobic bacteria. This way, you'll get all those nutrients =
in your compost pile.

Watch out -- they'll stink. A thin layer of coffee grounds on top of the c=
astings will improve the smell.

Sue


--- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, "yoshi" <yoshikhashimoto_at_...> wrote:
>
> I have been composting for about 10 years, vermicomposting for about 4, j=
ust learning about/trying aerated compost tea now. in doing so, I have com=
e to the realization that i've been doing it wrong all these years- have no=
t been draining well enough, and letting the bottom of my bin get anaerobic=
. I don't know how normal or bad this is. I've been reading that this can=
 be harmful to plants- does this mean it's garbage? The worms still seem t=
o love it. Can I mix it in with the good stuff, can I aerate the runoff en=
ough to turn bad into good?
>
> Separate but similar question regarding worm tea leachate and using it fo=
r aerating: I understand you want to use it up right away, and if you let i=
t sit for too long the microbes die of. Is it possible to revive the dead =
microbe population if you let the batch go anaerobic? Maybe by adding fres=
h juice/another few days of aerating? Am I just being too cheap?
> I don't understand why it is that the timing and freshness is so importan=
t- is it because you've boosted the microbe population so high? by this lo=
gic, if you know you don't need it right away, is it better to let a bucket=
 of worm tea sit (to keep the population stable) then oxygenate it just bef=
ore using it?
>




Received on Sun May 15 2011 - 17:46:22 EDT

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