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[compost_tea] Re: Weed Control and Compost Tea



Hi Elaine -

Nitrates exist in manures and immature composts, 
and nitrates decrease as compost matures since the 
nitrates become tied into larger structures 
and compounds. So nitrates are probably involved 
as weed signalers as well. 

Yet I want to emphasize the terminology of
raw humic substances vs humified compost.   

Poultry litter is a combination of raw poultry
manure mixed in with bedding.  Bedding may
consist of sawdust, shredded wood, shredded
newsprint, or seeds hulls.  So the chicken
"manure" has been in contact with organic matter
and moisture for some time.  Raw humic substances
form under these conditions. 

I use the term raw humic substances on purpose.
There are probably hundreds or thousands of
compounds in raw humic substances.  Likewise,
there are probably hundreds or thousands of compounds 
in humified compost, if not more, yet they will be 
quite different than those in raw humic substances 
since the compost has undergone transformation and 
humification. Since I do not know which compound, or 
complex combination of compounds, are functioning 
as ecosystem signalers to weed seeds... then it is 
best to leave it broad.  

The broad terminology is also part of the 
deep humus educational concept.  

Signals between humified compost to soil 
ecosystems and rhizospheres and mycorrhizae 
fall into the deep humus concept.  Controlling 
weeds with humified compost vs raw litter is 
pretty deep as far as agroecology.  This observation
and the field plots designed to understand this
common farmer observation (weeds decrease over time
under organic farming and humus management) comes 
from the organic farming experience, it is not an 
item you will find in journal articles.  There are
other examples that fall into the deep humus category.  
Hoitink showed that compost in contact with root 
systems turn on biochemical signals within the plant 
to suppress pathogens attacking the plant 3 feet high 
up above on the foliage.  That's pretty deep, so 
that goes in the deep humus basket.  And so on. 
This is a term so find what fits and add another 
dimension to broaden the concept. Compost Teas are 
certainly part of the Deep Humus story.  

Steve Diver



--- In compost_tea@yahoogroups.com, soilfoodweb@a... wrote:
> What is needed is an understanding of the form of N in poultry 
manure.  
> 
> Most weeds require high nitrate levels in order to germinate 
rapidly.  That 
> is likely the signal that tells them to jump on up.  
> 
> Fresh, raw poultry manure is HIGH in nitrate.  Therefore, weeds are 
selected.
> 
> There aren't many raw humic substances in manure.  Chicken
digestive 
systems 
> are the wrong environment to allow humic substances to develop.  
Nitrate, on 
> the other hand, is normally quite high in manures.  
> 
> When you compost manure, the nitrates are taken up by the bacteria 
and fungi 
> and immobilized in organism biomass.  thus, there may be the same 
amount of N 
> present, but in a very different, not-leachable form.  A form that 
weeds 
> cannot access, and therefore does not help weeds grow. 
> 
> Elaine Ingham
> President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
> www.soilfoodweb.com
> SFI Oregon, USA
> SFI Australia
> SFI New York
> SFI Europe
> SFI New Zealand
> 
> "Hope is not a feeling. It is not the belief that things will turn 
out well, 
> but the conviction that what we are doing makes sense, no matter
how 
things 
> turn out."   --  Vaclav Havel, former President of the Czech 
Republic


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