Re: [compost_tea] Fwd: compost tea applications - persistance

From: soilfoodweb@aol.com
Date: Fri Dec 06 2002 - 19:54:58 EST



> 1. Does the customer benefit from CT applied in the fall as soil drench?
>
If the organisms survive addition to the soil. What if you have toxic
residues in the soil?

What if you don't have food to feed the organisms in the soil? Add CT to
straight sand, no OM, and the organisms don't survive.

If we made you jump out of a plane and you landed in ghost town, NV, would
you survive? Should we then conclude that people can't survive through the
winter in NV?

Please, think things through.

> 2. Does the customer benefit from CT injection under a mulch or 3 to 12
> inches in depth in permeable soils under and around fruit trees and other
> long life plants?.
>

If the soil has no life to begin, of course. If the soil is lacking in
certain sets of organisms provided by CT, then of course.

But what if the soil is healthy, fully functioning, and everyone is already
there? Will you see a benefit of CT? Probably not. No harm, but no
benefit.


> 3. Will the CT microbial life persist/ increase from fall to spring when
> applied in the fall?
>
Yes, if you think of the critters are being like yourself. They need food,
protection,
good conditions to grow and reproduce. If you don't give them enough time to
establish a condominium before the bad guys arrive, or the winter weather
gets bad, then you won't see any persistence, because just like people, they
will die if they can't get colonization going.


> 4. Will CT microbial life continue in the soil, growing and increasing with
> time?
>
Given the same thought processes as above.....



> 5. Or is it necessary to re-apply CT a frequent intervals because the
> microbes simply die off in the soil?
>
If you have toxic chemicals, you have to re-apply until the toxin is
decomposed. But what about air pollution? That will take organisms out, no
matter what. So, in the middle of a city, you will always have to put
organisms back. What about the middle of Skagit Valley? Well, what's the
pollution load? Did anyone up-wind of you apply a chemical that may have
killed some of your good guys? Then you need to re-apply......

Microbes in soil die off for the same reason people die. Something kills
them. There is no evidence that organisms die of "old age" in the soil.
Something kills them. They may be eaten by protozoa, nematodes or
microarthropods. They may die from lack of food. No space. Inhibitory
compounds may get them. Chemicals. Air pollution.

> Compost will benefit compacted clay soils and lend water retention ability
> to sandy soil. But
>

CT acts the same in a clay soil than a sand soil. The organisms form
aggregates. In a clay soil, it is the microaggregates that are very
important, so water can move
at a reasonable rate in the soil. In a sand soil, it is bacteria gluing the
sand particulate together that make aggregates, and form "dams" that then
begin to hold water, slowing water down and increasing water holding
capacity. So, the organisms in CT do the same things in soil - make
aggregates, but with quite different spatial scales in different soils. But
in all cases, the organisms work to make soil structure hold water, nutrients
and air so plants are benefited



> If CT is applied - soil drench - to those same soils will it have similar
> effect even tho it may take more time and depend on the plants to add fiber
> / mulch to the soil?
>
> If CT as a drench on the soil, the microbes thrive and multiply, why would
> successive applications be advised?
>
Both replies require that you think about the fact that organisms need food.
If you have good food in the soil, the organisms will do their job rapidly
and efficiently. If the soil is poor in foods, the organisms will struggle
and may not do their job.

It's up to us to feed the good guys.

> When would CT be useful as a dormant spray?
>
When the conditions are such that the organisms won't wake up for awhile.
When you have to transport the organisms over some distance. But that's not
a good idea. You want indigenous organisms, not organisms that are adapted
to a different climate or weather regime. So, put-to-sleep organisms aren't
going to be all that useful, unless you can document that the put-to-sleep
organisms are the really beneficial species that are not present in your
soil.

> And on what type plants?
>
Why would there be some plants that like dormant organisms?

Hope these help.

Elaine
President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
www.soilfoodweb.com



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