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[compost_tea] Bob's Sunday Ad & garden story



This is an old story, from before no-till became the way of good gardening...

Creaky old gardner ( not Jeff) was dreading the  job of preparing his garden, wrote his plight to his son, who was in jail.

His son wrote "hey dad don't dig up the garden!  That's where I burried the gun!"

Next day 5 guys in blue turned up, rudely confronted Dad, spaded the entire garden !  

Last week several messages suggested it was as good or better to build your own brewer as to buy a commecially designed, built & tested brewer.  In answering and helping several home crafters who were on the way to building their own, I found some had spent more on parts than a like sized commercial brewer would cost.  They still had a ways to go to have a brewer and then a series of testing that would,  if equally tested, cost several times the cost of "Bobs" commercial brewer of either size.  

As it is I am going to help these enthusiasts reach their goal of a good bewer and with minimal changes to their design that I think will reduce the number of tests needed to get consistant tested proof of good results.  

As I wrote to one who asked the question-  "If there is still a lot of testing to prove the compost what good is it to have a commercial brewer" (one that has been tested )?

My answer;" If you start with a brewer that has proven good results with known recipes,  then you know the variables are the compost, temperature and water.

You can control water quality fairly well.  You can control temperature.  You can have the compost tested separately to measure its potential. Compost is the hardest part to hold steady..  I think Dr. Elaine noted that the resilience of diverse microbes is such that good compost does not have to be exactly alike to get consistantly good results with a well controlled brew.  Well made compost  plus the right neutrients at a good temperature in any brewer that produces close to the right agitation, circulation, aeration will produce TEA of beneficial quality.  Yes that includes many variables where each has an effect.  A bag of whatever in a bucket is Russian Roulette, Not going to give you the best without a lot of luck, skill, time and attention.     .

After you have accomplished good TEA,  keep it aerated, apply it soon, gently without filtering out all the good stuff.    Several questions have been raised about filters.  My brewer tends to let some silt form on the bottom. I think most brewers collect some silt. The tendency is to pump off the tea starting at the bottom. This will semi clog any filter, thus reduce the effective filter ( micron) size and further reduce the fungi we so want to apply to the plants..  

A couple ideas:  Shut down the tea agitation system for 10 minutes or so, let the heavy stuff settle out. Then pump from near the top, lowering the pump inlet as you pump.  A floated pump inlet would do this on big systems.  On small systems this can be hand controlled.  Avoid going all the way to the silt. 

Another way;  as in the first way let the heavy stuff settle out.  Arrange to pump from a point some distance - an inch or more -  above the bottom.  This will leave the heavy nozzle plugging silt.  The TEA that has been pumped out will be richer - because little or no filtering is needed.  The silt is rich in fungi and other stuff that will have value mixed into your soil or mixed back in your compost.   Be sure your system does not allow the silt to build up undisturbed during the brew so long as to become anaerobic.    Finally use the largest nozzle that does your job well.

Good gardening and happy tea parties to each of you

Current retail price on

Bob's "Bitti -0- Lator*  with air pump, Aeration agitation chamber, recipes, rated at from 3 gallons to 30 gallons depending on the tank you supply. Typical tanks are available at very low cost ( a 5 g plastic pail, 7 g. 9 g  20 or 30 gallon  wheeled plastic garbage container.  Includes FedEx ground freight, $165.00 plus sales tax if applicable.            * Who first came up with thqt name? 

Bob's  Bob-O-Lator with air pump, Aeration, agitation chamber, recipes rated from      30 gallons in a 30 gallon tank or in a 50 gallon tank, 50g, and on up to 300g in various tanks available, recycled,, either as food shippers or from tank suppliers.( You supply tank)  Includes FedEx ground $ 685.00 plus sales tax if applicable.

SFI tests on the Bob-O-Lator are on File in  two places under Yahoo Messages.

SFI tests for the Bitti will be on file soon.  Any questions?  I will try to answer yours Promptly.   Here it is late January.  Even if there is deep snow where you are tonight, it will be time to do dormant TEA spray in just 30 to 60 days! Are you ready!.

Old dad wrote to his son;: "Thanks, son. You do better work there than at home!"   bnbrew@yahoo.com        


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