Jeff,
On the pH question, it is advantageous to lower pH and then follow up with
high pH makeup water
Tom Jaszewski
www.livesoil.com
702-595-7012
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Lowenfels [mailto:jeff_at_gardener.com]
Sent: Sunday, February 02, 2003 9:02 AM
To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [compost_tea] Feather Meal
JD asked about feather meal.
I assume you are going to try and grow fungi in your compost, something I
urge you all to try so you don't bang your head against the wall trying to
grow fungi in a tea using compost that isn't fungally dominated.
The point is to grow the fungi, the right ones and as far as I can tell
there is no "perfect" or "better way." I have not noticed much of a
difference between the "blooms" I get using "the meals" and malt
individually or in combinations. Some grow faster, but once they establish,
there is little difference. So if you can't find feather meal, don't
despair and surely don't spend lots of money trying to get some.
Incidentally, there are several organic fertilizers out there that contain
feather, bone, blood and alfalfa meal. Since I believe in promoting our own,
meaning folks on this list, check out Hendrikus Schraven's site"
http://gardenshoponline.com/blendfert/hsocomplete.html, this stuff looks
like a veritable three course meal with all the trimmings for the fungi in
compost. If it won't grow fungi, nothing wil and you need a different
compost.
John Evans used vinegar to alter the pH in his AH and got very fast growth.
I worry that this may have a deleterious effect on some of the microbes.
John really knows what he is doing, so I think this is worth looking into.
I have not done much testing on the pH side of things....there is just so
much she who is in charge will allow by way of experimenting.
Hope this is useful.
Cheers,
Jeff
www.alaskahumus.com <
http://www.alaskahumus.com>
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Received on Tue Feb 04 2003 - 22:04:32 EST