Re: [compost_tea] Defining what is compost tea exactly

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2003 14:19:50 EDT

I think I made it clear in the e-mail that in my experience with Soil Soup
machines, when we follow the manufactruers directions, the liquid goes smelly.

We have worked with people who modify the manufactureres directions and then
the machine can give you decent bacterial tea. But it is not compost tea. No
fungi, no protozoa, no beneficial nematodes.

I said as much in my previous e-mail. Do something different from the
directions, and it can be ok.

The soil Soup machine does not give the biology needed to improve the soil
foodweb, because it generally gives you just bacteria. It can be really bad
news when the bacteria added are anaerobic bacteria, because you then lose the
beneficial fungi, protozoa and nematodes.

If you modify how you use Soil Soup machines, then it can stay aerobic, and
you add aerobic bacteria. That can be useful, because then you can protect
against easy-to-deal with fungal disease like black spot. Generally can't help
against mildew, although it would be good to hear if people have managed that
with Soil Soup.

Actually, that would be useful, wouldn't it? How did different people modify
the Soil Soup process to get good results. What do you do to make the
machine work? What diseases have you been able to deal with? What benefits?

That would be positive and beneficial, don't you think? How do you make Soil
soup work?

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





Received on Sun Jun 08 2003 - 23:10:07 EDT

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