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[compost_tea] RE: weed control and Compost Tea
Hi Merla, We have a 200 acre farm in New Zealand that we have been
working on a ragwort problem for the last two years. We have been
brewing compost tea for that entire time and applying it to the soil.
Along with the compost tea we have made a plant extract out of the
ragwort that we have harvested from the farm. Last year I choose two
paddocks that were particularly infested. They received weekly
applications of compost tea with a heavy dose of the ragwort plant
extract mixed into the brew. One paddock also received a two
applications of the ragwort extract diluted to different strengths
without the compost or other ingredients.
This summer (southern hemisphere) we have had a great deal less ragwort
on all the paddocks that received these treatments and no ragwort on the
two paddocks that received the extra ragwort extract treatments.
We also did a fair amount of grubbing and peppered one time. (A
biodynamic practice of burning seed heads and spreading the ash).
We are working on the premise that if a weed is present the soil must
need it, so why not try to accelerate the succession process by taking
the plant and recycling it into the system through composting and liquid
manures.
I realize there is nothing scientific here to prove what actually had
the effect. If we ever get a SFI lab in New Zealand we will start
testing our mixtures and maybe we will be able to get some answers.
Maybe you could include such experiments in your trials.
Steven Erickson
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