[compost_tea] Re: can a brew continue by simply adding nutrients?

From: evanfolds <evan_at_progressearth.com>
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:54:07 -0000

We have been brewing perpetually for many years using a Vortex Brewer. Here=
 is a video of many happy customers using compost tea created in this way: =
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fNWyTqUUN0

it is important to refresh teh solution at least once per week. In other wo=
rds, if you are distributing 10 gallons a wekk using a 60 gallon unit the i=
nputs compound on themselves. We suggest adding a certian amoutn of input f=
or every 5 gallons of water added to the unit. It works great.

This not only makes sense on a convenience level, but also on a "plant food=
" level. We all know microbes make perfect plant food. When attaining a shr=
edder dominance after 48 hours it makes sense that this process creates mor=
e plant food the longer the tea is brewed. After all, the guts of bacteria =
make up humus, i.e. plant food.

We are not suggesting that this provides a replicable biological product, o=
nly that it is a living solution that cannot be purtchased from a shelf. De=
pending on the application, the plant food aspect may be more important tha=
n the biological aspect. Consider container gardening or indoor gardening w=
here the goal is not necessarily to establish an operating soil food web.

We have distributed compost tea from a Vortex Brewer to every gardening sit=
uation imagineable over the last 5-6 years, sometimes with a brew that has =
been spinning for up to 6 months without cleaning the unit, and never have =
we had a negative response.

I would not receommend using other compost tea units in this capacity, not =
because it will not work, but becasue I have not personally tested it. Ther=
e is still MUCH work to do to determine the potentials of compost tea, but =
perpetual brewing sure makes sense from our perspective.

Evan
www.VortexBrewer.com



--- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, "RTS Friction - Carruthers" <home_at_...> =
wrote:
>
> It would seem you run the risk of outside contamination if you continue t=
o use your base stock, much the same as using your yeast again and again in=
 beer making. Look forward to other comments good question.
> If you trail through the archives you will see the discussions on adding =
extra food/nutrient, many members believe it is not necessary. Thanks to go=
od advice I now rely on the release of nutrients in the compost/vermicast t=
o multiply the MO's, I do add a little barley malt if using the tea for get=
ting the compost heap going or doing a lawn drench.
> Ian C
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Paul M Moriarty To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Monday, June 20, 2011 9:03 PM
>
> New guy here. I've searched through the archives and haven't found an a=
nswer to my question. Hopefully, one of you can help me out.
>
> Is it possible to just keep a batch of tea going by, draining off 1/2 t=
he tea and replacing with water & food as one would with a sourdough starte=
r, or is it necessary to replenish the castings as well? As an urban farmer=
, I'm trying to get as much mileage out of my castings as possible.
>




Received on Wed Jun 22 2011 - 00:08:54 EDT

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0 : Tue Feb 07 2012 - 13:58:11 EST