Re: [compost_tea] Compost tea brewers

From: Robert Norsen <bnbrew_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 12:29:55 -0800 (PST)


Hi Jason- I'm prejudiced as a manufacturer but i will try. See comments woven into your questions below.
 Jason Austin <jason.austin_at_shaw.ca> wrote:
Hi I'm a newbie to this. Could anyone help with:

1. I live in Canada and these machines are very expensive (it seems!)
My local feed store says they are not complicated and they can sell me
the components to make a 100 gallon model for about half the price. Is
that feasible or is some special technology or design required? ((( As a manufacturer I buy the parts at about 1/2 your price,cut, fit, develop, test, package & ship to you for maybe a little more than the parts cost you. But you miss the fun of the chase. Well really when you have the tools for this adventure the adventure is just beginning. At least with a good tested brewer you have a fairly sure starting point for yout TEA.)))

2. I have been reading as much as I can on the net. Some sites talk
of diluting the CT by 1:10, others speak of using it undiluted. Is
there a right answer? ((( No. No exact answer. it depends. How concentrrated is the TEA? If your need is for fungal and your tea has .o5 um/ml better use it straight. If your fungal is 5.5 um/ml you can dilute. 10 to 1 and still be 10 times ahead of the .05.

If what you are applying to needs bacteria, not fungal then look at the bacterial numbers of your TEA.

Chances are you won't know what is in your TEA unless you send a test sample and keep the tea aerated while you get the test return. By tht time the TEA will have changed some durnig aeration.

What I make of all this and what I think I heard from Dr Ealine is - learn all you can about the subject, use your best judgement and depend on diversity, the broad capability of nature, the ability of your plants to develop what they need when furnished with the wide range of choices you give them with TEA. Now listen also to all the other answers you will get from others who will have good advice)))


3. How important are additives if one has a rich compost or access to a forest floor? (((If I had both a rich compost and a forest floor I would blend those, then add a modest amount of nutrients like molasses, kelp, fish or other stuff listed with the recipes that your tea maker suggests, go with that. Send in for TEA tests until you know what to expect. Then study addatives. Think about this as being an exciting adventure rather than an exact math formula. Like I said above, your plants will know better than you how to select from the diversity you offer. Attend a few classes by Dr Elaine. Read. Listen. Plunge...But have FUN.

Above WAG from Bob in Seattle.206 571 4671
Jason Austin
Victoria, BC




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Received on Sun Mar 09 2003 - 18:30:42 EST

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