[compost_tea] Re: Vermi tea as foliar fertilizer

From: Tim Wilson <thegoodjob_at_hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:30:38 -0000

Hi Burkhard;

When I mentioned soluble nutrients I was actually referring to chemical fer=
tilizers which are already in ionic form. I was not recommending them but a=
sking what you intended to foliar feed with. There is very little in solubl=
e form in organics. As stated, I am dubious about the efficacy of foliar fe=
eding.

There was a powerpoint posted by another member but because it was a sales =
pitch it is hardly credible.

If indeed, foliar feeding is an efficient way of providing nutrients, I'm v=
ery interested in reading solid data on the subject. There are attibutes to=
 spraying certain substances onto plant leaves, including compost tea. Jeff=
 has already covered this.

I used to spray (back in my chemical days) my plants with chemical
20-20-20 and thought I was feeding them because they all perked up and look=
ed 'happy' afterwards. Later I learned that they were just responding (most=
 likely) to the moisture.

I suggest that you feed your soil as Jeff has recommended. You can use fish=
 hydrolysate, compost tea, humic acid, etc. in liquid form and you can topd=
ress [vermi]compost (and vermicompost slurries), kelpmeal, alfalfa meal, et=
c.

Tim

--- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, Burkhard Kiehne <burkhardkiehne_at_...> wr=
ote:
>
> Thank you for all your input, especially the one from Tim. It always lets=
 me see things clearer. To summerize my point again I assume it is a good i=
dea to prepare the soil with plenty of compost, plant my peppers, tomatoes =
etc and leave the soil alone except for weekly sprays with vermi tea. That =
leaves me with applying fertilizer over the leaves. There is no vertical tr=
ansport involved, so the result should be visible fast. The question is wha=
t will I use for fertilizer? It has to be organic, of course and it should =
be soluble as well. Does anybody have experience with that, preferable PK l=
oaded. How about seaweeds? Will the higher PK content damage the microbes?
>




Received on Wed Jan 18 2012 - 13:18:16 EST

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