Re: RES: [compost_tea] Don't use MOLD and a RANT
OK. Folks, calm down. This list is not getting out of control and it is not=
abandoning science.
I repeat what I said Re Mold: Don't use compost that grows lots of mold w=
hen you put in an additive to grow fungi.
What you are trying to grow in your tea are benefical fungi, primarily in t=
he Basidiomycete group....although we also grow ascomycete and actinomycete=
fungi. You want Hyphal diameters of 3 if possible. Sure molds are fungi, b=
ut they are not the same type and they do not provide the benefits of the B=
asidiomycete type fungi.
Molds are usually red, green, black or blue. When you are growing fungi in=
your compost because of the addition of nutrients you do not want molds. Y=
ou can get some really nasty things going with mold.
The type of fungi you want to see are long(up to several inches in some cas=
es) fuzzy, bright white, hairy mycelium. The mass on top of your container =
will look like SANTA's Beard...white, fuzzy, threads all over the place. If=
you don't like the reference to Santa's beard, sorry. It is a universal si=
ght and is a useful type description.
As for using all of the foods Jose suggests for additives ALL AT ONCE, you =
must be emulating the plate growth arguement...so you figure you have to pu=
t in more food to wake up diverse fungi ? O.K. You think that is scientific=
? Not me. Too many variables and too much work for results that are obviou=
sly growing things you don't want in the tea. I've tested it. Have you? So =
who is the scientist?
And then you attack me for not being scientific. Please, if you only knew h=
ow much money I have spent testing teas (and passing on the information for=
free.......), with controls and more controls and repeats. When I scientif=
ically tested lots of compost additives all at once, as did Jose, I got mol=
d growing along with a little of the Santa's Beard (white rot, I believe) a=
nd BAD tea numbers.....SCIENTIFICALLY TESTED. When I use a single simple =
additive, I don't get the mold and I get some damn good tea numbers, TESTED=
.
So, no I am not a fungal spokesperson. However, I am damn good at making g=
reat fungal teas and I spend a lot of money testing what I am doing.
If you want to use all the additives Jose suggests, fine. I say it is over=
kill. If you want to grow mold, fine. I say they are bad for your teas. Bu=
t don't tell me that I am not being scientific or that this is the wild wes=
t. Not in my case it isn't.
If you want great fungal teas with Basidiomycete type benefical fungi, I ca=
n help you. If you don't, that is fine. However, don't attack this list or =
members on it without thinking about what you are saying. In this instance,=
you were way off base.
Now I feel better and I repeat: DO NOT USE COMPOST WITH ADDITIVE NUTRIENTS =
IF THEY GROW MOLDS.
> I think we need more science here. After you do that, can you
explain
> how a food source can grow only one type of organism and
> why do you recon this organism is bad instead of good just because
> it doesn't look like "Santa's beard" ?
>
>
> Then :
>
> "Jose Mix has too many ingredients. Pick one and use that."
>
> Have you ever being a fungi or a yeast in other lifes to know
> which kind do they like best ? Are you a fungi spoke person ?
> How do you know that those beneficial fungi likes one source
> of food instead of many ? Are you jealous about my mix ?
> You can make a better one if you will. It is not " Jose's mix".
> It is not patented.
> I am glad I am not a fungi that inhabits your compost otherwise
> I would have to live with a monolithic type of food that you
> decided that is good for me. The idea behind many foods instead
> of one is because life, and ultimately God, manifest themselves
> through diversity.
> Plurality is more democratic than a dictatorial single choice,
don't you
> think ?.
Received on Mon Mar 10 2003 - 21:32:04 EST
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: Tue Feb 07 2012 - 14:26:47 EST