Re: [compost_tea] non-aerated teas?

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Mon, 03 Jan 2005 10:09:28 -0500
Ted described his neighbor's simple machine for making compost extract.  Nice description, and an easy way to make compost extract. 

I would like us to be clear about the definitions of what we are using, however, and what exactly is obtained.

I like to take the "mystery" out of what's what people are doing (grin!), and why certain benefits occur with csome things, and why not as much benefit happens with other things.  

Please be clear that I am not imposing "a sentence" on compost extraction machines.  I make and use compost extracts; I just don't ascribe benefits to using extracts  that are not possible. 

Compost extract has organisms and nutrients extracted from the compost in it.  So, compost quality is still critical. 

If the movement of the water through the compost is rapid enough, organisms are pulled from the compost into the water. 

There are commercial machine available on the market - you can make 5,000 gallons of extract in an hour!  Brew the extract to make tea.  If you want more info, please e-mail me. 

When Biodynamic flow forms are used, they produce a compost extract.  When allowed to brew with some extra foods, these flow forms can make good tea. 

But the organisms in compost extract have not been brewed, may not be highly active, and may not be able to stick to the leaf surfaces.  Not going to get the organisms covering leaves, and so I don't see how protection could occur. 

Again, I'm not saying anything is wrong with compost extract -the organisms extracted from the compost are getting out into the soil.  And you can expect great things from getting the biology back into the soil. 

It is just that it takes more time to go from sick soil to healthy soil if you can't do the foliar benefits. 

So, could we all try to use the appropriate terminology when describing different machines?  When incorrect terminology is used, you are likely to get "the lecture from Elaine"  about using the correct terminology.  So, to avoid the lecture, use the right label, ok? 

What Ted described was a compost extract machine, where the extract is not brewed for any length of time.  Three hours is not enough time for most of the organisms to wake up; no foods added into the mix, the organisms are not going to be any more active than they were in the compost.  There will be benefits to applying this on the soil.  But not much benefit when applying to the foliage.  The organisms will just wash off with the next rain, or irrigation. 

Extracts can give you real benefits.  Recognize what is in them, and what can be expected.  Brew the extract, and you've got compost tea. 

OK? 

--
Elaine Ingham
President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
SFI Corvallis, OR
SFI Port Jefferson, NY
SFI Lismore, NSW, Australia
SFI Cambridge, New Zealand
SFI Culiacan, Mexico
SFI Jerome, Idaho
SFI South Africa
http://www.soilfoodweb.com



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Received on Mon Jan 03 2005 - 14:22:22 EST

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