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

From: Scott Hokunson <hokunson_at_cox.net>
Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2011 09:10:23 -0400

Very interesting Evan! Have you been testing along the way to verify that
the organisms are surviving at a high level?

 

From: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com [mailto:compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of evanfolds
Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2011 11:54 AM
To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
Subject: [compost_tea] Re: can a brew continue by simply adding nutrients?

 

  

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
words, if you are distributing 10 gallons a wekk using a 60 gallon unit the
inputs compound on themselves. We suggest adding a certian amoutn of input
for 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
shredder dominance after 48 hours it makes sense that this process creates
more 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,
only that it is a living solution that cannot be purtchased from a shelf.
Depending on the application, the plant food aspect may be more important
than the biological aspect. Consider container gardening or indoor gardening
where the goal is not necessarily to establish an operating soil food web.

We have distributed compost tea from a Vortex Brewer to every gardening
situation 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. There
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 <mailto:compost_tea%40yahoogroups.com> ,
"RTS Friction - Carruthers" <home_at_...> wrote:
>
> It would seem you run the risk of outside contamination if you continue to
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
good advice I now rely on the release of nutrients in the compost/vermicast
to multiply the MO's, I do add a little barley malt if using the tea for
getting the compost heap going or doing a lawn drench.
> Ian C
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Paul M Moriarty To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
<mailto:compost_tea%40yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Monday, June 20, 2011 9:03 PM
>
> New guy here. I've searched through the archives and haven't found an
answer 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 the
tea and replacing with water & food as one would with a sourdough starter,
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 - 11:24:10 EDT

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