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Two more comments on compost teas

Dear listmates,

I am continuing to respond to the thread on compost teas even though some may think it is an off topic topic on garden writing. However, the fact of the matter is some garden writers have an opportunity to write some articles about it and make some money in the process. Since many people are interested in it but don't know where to start, I think the topic is relevant. So I think it is an on topic topic for garden writers. I may be chastised but so be it.

Message: 3
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2003 15:58:45 -0400
From: <miranda@tagoresmith.com>
Subject: [GWL] RE: lurkers speak out
To: "'Garden Writers -- GWL -- The Garden Writers Forum'"
<gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org>
Message-ID: <000f01c3820d$198c59c0$7a3e98cd@Easy2
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"


I have no doubt that these teas are not as effective as those made with
a brewer. However, it'll be awhile before I break down and spend the
money for a brewer, so I asked how other people on the list were making
and using the teas.


Miranda,

The expensive, fancy brewers are a rip off. The companies are trying to recoup their R&D money they spent in making the brewers and are charging an arm and a leg for them. A do it yourself model can be made with a clean, sanitized five gallon plastic bucket and an air pump from a fish aquarium store. Run solid plastic drip irrigation spaghetti tubing from the pump (sitting outside the bucket) to the inside of the bucket. Inside the bucket use porous drip irrigation soaker hose spaghetti tubing for air dispersion. The key ingredient is the compost mixture (usually a mixture of good sifted compost, kelp, some type of bat guano for a little NPK, worm castings and other ingredients (every brew maker has a secret recipe mixture) and also an activator mixture usually made up of simple sugars like dried molasses and some put enzymes and mycorrhizal in it too). Some who make their own brewer buy the mixture from suppliers--others make their own. After 12-24 hours the tea is done brewing and must be used within 12-18 hours or it goes bad. If it smells bad it is bad. When it goes bad it starts to ferment and create alcohol which is not good for plants or the microrganisms in the soil. It can be diluted down to 1 gallon of finished tea to 11 gallons of water. Again go to SoilFoodWeb's web site for more info-- http://www.soilfoodweb.com

SoilSoup is penetrating the garden center marketplace with their fancy commerical brewer/dispenser. They are cornering the garden center market. Some are happy with their product while others are not.

Once you start investigating the compost tea phenomena you will find it is like all industries. Back stabbing, cut throat, sides being taken, etc. etc. etc. Not everybody though--there are a lot of "sharers" who openly give info and coaching to newbies.

Jeff Lowenfels sells some dried compost tea mixture for brewing at http://www.alaskahumus.com

Another compost tea mixture is available at Keep It Simple, inc (KIS) (who supplies Monrovia) at http://www.simplici-tea.com (they also sell an air pump that creates larger air bubbles while brewing which many think makes quicker and better tea--I just used the KIS pump after using the smaller aquarium pump for the past year and I am much happier with the results of the KIS pump).

Another supplier is http://www.tandjenterprises.com

There are a bunch of other ones but those are ones I have dealt with.

It is real easy to make and smells so good--like beer--I have been tempted to drink it, but haven't.


Message: 7
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2003 19:35:34 -0400
From: LEE REICH <lreich@hvc.rr.com>
Subject: Re: [GWL] Compost Tea Confusion
To: Garden Writers -- GWL -- The Garden Writers Forum
<gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org>
Message-ID: <3F70D8C6.74550B84@hvc.rr.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; x-mac-type="54455854";
x-mac-creator="4D4F5353"

I can't resist putting my two cents into this compost tea discussion. I have
yet to see some independent research proving the benefits of compost tea.
Yes, I know that many people have used it and "just know" that it works, but
that's not good enough for me. I'm reminded of something that Christopher
Lloyd once wrote (tongue in cheek), something about how good fingernail
clippings are for rhododendron plants. It seems that he always sits in the
same chair when clipping his nails, then throws them out the window. The
rhododendron beneath that window it particularly healthy and vigorous.
q.e.d.

And even if there was some statistically measurable effect of compost tea,
there's a lot of things you can spray on plant leaves and get some
measureable effect.

Lee Reich

Lee,

Dr. Elaine Ingham has done tons of research while she was a professor at Oregon State University. She did research on ways a 17,000 acre organic potato farmer could cut down on his cost of transporting manures and compost and spreading it on the fields. She has done research on many other crops for very large scale organic farms. She has saved the Mirage and Belaggio casinos in Las Vegas millions of dollars by saving their palm trees and grass on their golf courses. Things got so busy and potentially profitable that she retired from OSU and started SoilFoodWeb Inc that continues to do research for very large organic farmers. The research is there. As the big companies (like Monrovia and others) get into this there will be all kinds of data. But data is not free. In many cases they consider it proprietary property and either don't share it or charge for it. So don't expect the researchers to just hand over the data to you if you ask for it.

For me, a hobby gardener with a very large garden, my experience of using it and working is good enough for me. I agree, large growers and garden writers writing articles about it, need data to refer to.

A disclaimer: I have no commercial interest in any of the companies, products or web sites I have referenced. I am a happy customer of some of them. But I as I said in an earlier post--brewing compost tea is like a religious experience. Once you experience all aspects of your garden will never be the same.

Keep on brewin',

Tom Alexander, Publisher
Growing Edge Magazine
PO Box 1027
Corvallis, OR. 97339
541-745-7773
http://www.growingedge.com
tom@growingedge.com
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