Re: [compost_tea] Oranges/grass hay

From: soilfoodweb@aol.com
Date: Thu Nov 14 2002 - 01:09:19 EST


Hi Bill -

Yes, you can mix the worm compost with thermal compost - in fact it is better
as a mix, because you will get greater diversity.

What did you put in your tea sprays? Did you add kelp? Humic acids? Some
mineral nutrients that perhaps your plants are lacking?

That's probably what is causing the bitter flavor. You need to do a plant
tissue test to determine what nutrient is limiting growth. Look closely at
the foliage. Any odd colors? The mottling of the leaves can give you some
good clues. Also, look at the weeds - any clues to the nutritional
limitation there?

Quite often the biology is what makes nutrients available to the plants. So,
you need to figure out what element is missing, is it too low in the soil,
can you foliar feed it, or do you need to add the biology that makes the
nutrient available back to the plant.

We have seen early maturity in fruits, but usually along with higher BRIX
readings, or higher nutritional quality, not less. So, my guess would be a
mineral nutrient imbalance. Observe the plants....

Try a mineral application with P, and fish hydrolyzate for N. A rock powder,
or DAP plus the fish. That s something I learned from Arden Anderson - if
you use fertilizer, always add it with foods to feed the microbes, so you
hold your nutrients in the soil, instead of them leaching.

If you go for an inorganic fertilizer, apply the fertilizer, and apply the
tea immediately. If you need the water, put the fertilizer on, water, with
the CT in the water.

Hope this helps. Anyone out there with other practical applications that
worked in this situation?

Elaine



> Hi, Info please.
> Can I mix the product of my Can of Worms with compost to brew CT.?After
> three heavy applications of CT had great response from fruit tress and
> particularly raspberries but can the CT bring on early maturity? The
> oranges have filled out and falling from the trees but should not be ready
> yet and are still bitter.
> I am growing some rye grass to cut for hay,now the garden and orchard have
> application of organic matter but the field is to large ,have sprayed with
> CT once but the crop looks like it needs Phos.& N. Now if I apply a
> fertilizer should I follow up with more CT and how long after the
> fertilizer application?
> Bill H.
>
>


President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
www.soilfoodweb.com



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