Subject: Updated Compost Tea FAQ
From: [email-masked] (Jeff Owens)
Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2000 23:41:57 -0700
Newsgroups: alt.permaculture

Compost Tea FAQ
                      --------------------------
                      revised 6-21-2000

What is compost tea?

  A wide variety of organic slurries are called compost
  tea.  Generally, the tea contains living organisms which
  provide useful functions.  Since it is made from organic
  materials it can also function as a fertilizer.

  This broad definition of "compost tea" isn't accepted
  by everyone.  The terms "compost leachate" and
  "manure tea" are sometimes used to identify non-brewed
  forms of tea.  Specialized teas also have different
  names and commercial teas are now appearing with
  unique labels.  Too see a long list of products
  and suppliers enter the quoted phrase "compost tea"
  into any search engine.

Is compost tea based on science or folklore?

  Compost tea has a long history of use and does contain
  much folklore.  It is doubtful that the hype will
  go away in the future.  Instead, we will probably
  see specialized methods and names appearing to separate
  the various types of tea.

  Biodynamics is one area which many people consider myth.
  It takes a more holistic view and talks about life energies
  and cosmic influences.  Included within biodynamics are
  numerous herbal teas, liquid manures, and preps that are
  brewed and sprayed.  It is probable that today's interest in
  compost tea has its roots in biodynamics.

  The metaphysical philosophy of biodynamics might reject
  this casual discussion of compost tea as unrelated and a
  compost tea researcher might reject biodynamics as
  unsubstantiated.  The one fact everyone can agree on is the
  results.  These sprays work.

Why do we need compost tea?

  The uses for compost tea are still emerging but here is
  a partial list:

    1. foliar feeding
    2. soil pest control
    3. disease control
    4. soil revitalization

  Orchard magazines are talking about controlling soil
  life using teas along with apple scab and fungus.  Garden
  magazines describe booster sprays for mid season.  The
  list of uses are long as are the types of compost tea.

How does compost tea work?

  It is believed that compost tea works in many ways.  Since
  it is a soup of diverse organisms the result can also be
  very diverse.  If the tea finds a niche it can fill then
  it will.  In nature everything eats a neighbor and adding
  new neighbors can change the ecology quickly.  Anyway,
  that is one view.  The scientific view might focus on
  beneficial nematodes and how they attack cutworms, root
  weevils, and other soil pests.

  The predictability of tea is something farmers need and
  this has resulted in more controlled methods of production.
  Dr Ingham has written a manual for a more scientific
  approach and sells it along with some supplies (see
  references).

If tea is that great why isn't everyone 
using it?

  The use of compost tea is growing and new companies selling
  specialized products appear each day.  Many garden catalogs
  are now carrying various teas.  The problem is that each
  site is different and the variety of possible teas is almost
  infinite.  We have begun to open up the old efficient farming
  issue again.  Do you make teas for a specific function and
  manipulate the ecology or do you build a diverse healthy
  garden an let it regulate itself.  The later view would
  be more sustainable and less interested in a large array
  of specialized products.  The efficient farming approach
  would want teas to address specific problems and simple
  rules for using teas with various crops.

What approach fits sustainable gardening 
and agriculture?

  The use of compost tea is ideal for sustainable farming
  and gardening.  It trades local labor for imported products
  to fight pests or increase fertility.  It also connects
  a farmer with the soil and rewards careful observation.
  The gardener spends time brewing tea, thinking about
  soil and plants, identifying optimum spraying times,
  and developing a local art.  Compost tea can be part of
  local recycling and use of compost piles.

Are there easy methods to make compost tea?

  The process of making tea can use complex fermentation
  equipment or be the byproduct of other organic activity.
  Some people use the liquid from worm bins or the liquid
  from composting toilets, but most small scale tea production
  is from fermenting finished compost in water.  Another easy
  approach is to ferment organic materials in a large tub
  of water.  This process can utilize summer temperatures
  to speed the fermentation and dark containers to increase
  solar heating.  For most sites an easy method of making
  tea can be found which utilizes existing materials
  and fits the climate. 

What ingredients can be used?

  Most organic materials can be used to make tea.  Teas
  made from animal manures are preferred for some applications
  but other teas also work.  We still have a lot to learn
  about ways to brew tea.  Some of the materials mentioned
  often are:

    animal manure    fish emulsion          kitchen scraps
    molasses         citrus rinds           grass clippings
    kelp             comfry leaves          weeds
    compost          mushroom compost       nettles
    seaweed          worm castings          urine
    cider vinegar    straw animal bedding   coffee grounds

  In addition to these ingredients some people add wetting
  agents and other things before spraying.  Here is a partial
  list:

    soap (wetting agent)
    molasses (as wetting agent)
    rock dust
    baking soda    

How is compost tea made?

  Quick tea can be made by mixing one gallon of finished
  compost with 5 gallons of water and letting sit for 10
  to 14 days.  The ideal temperature for this is somewhere
  over 50 degrees F. Probably temperatures of 80 degrees would
  reduce the time and increase the fermentation.
  
  Commercial tea production usually requires a tank with
  attached bubbler and enough heat to keep the mixture at
  around 70 degrees F.  This method requires 2-3 days.

  Home brew systems can be much simpler.  Any tank
  can be filled with water and a starter mixture
  added along with organic matter.  In some cases it
  is enough to just dump in organic matter and let
  nature takes its course.  This can take months.

  A very simple biodigester can be made from two garbage
  cans and works well for small urban sites.  It provides
  both compost and tea.  This is described at the
  Cornell composting site (see references).

What are some common recipes?

 Simple Teas:
              1. place aged compost in cloth bag (panty hose)
                 and soak in tub with 5 parts water (by volume).
                 After 2 or more weeks remove the bag.

              2. Mix 2 tbls molasses, 2 tbls seaweed extract,
                 1 tbls apple cider, 1 gallon of water.  Ferment
                 for awhile.

              3. In late spring fill a barrel with comfry or nettles,
                 or other greens.  Place barrel in warm spot and
                 wait till well aged and stinks.  Strain and use
                 liquid.

              4. Fill tub with 5 parts water to one part urine.
                 let it age for two weeks in warm spot or use
                 immediately.

 Commercial Teas:
 
              1. Obtain a fish tank bubbler and method to keep
                 tea container at around 70 degrees F.  Mix 5 gallons
                 water with 1 part compost, 4 oz of molasses, and
                 kelp extract.  Ferment and bubble for about 2
                 days.  Strain and spray on trees and plants.

              2. For large quantities a pond pump is used and
                 the liquid sprayed back into the top of the
                 container.  This method sometimes uses commercially
                 prepared starter mixes with molasses, seaweed,
                 and alge.  A typical brew might be:
                   1 gallon starter mix or compost
                   8 gallons water (filtered or rain)
                   8-12 tablespoons of blackstrap molasses
                   8 tablespoons of seaweed
                   8 tablespoons of natural apple cider vinegar
                 mix and brew for two or more days.

 Notes: All of the above teas use volume measurements and the
        water should be filtered or natural.  Avoid chlorinated
        water.  Usually, they are not diluted before spraying
        but this depends somewhat on usage and strength of the
        tea.  All teas should be brewed at close to seventy
        degrees and often reach higher temperatures.
        
Where can more information be found?

http://www.comost.org/ICAW99compostteaPR.html
Compost Council of Canada

http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/comptea.html
Good article on state of art compost tea

http://www.life.ca/nl/compost.html
Simple compost tea recipe

http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/compost/Composting_Homepage.html
Cornell compost home page

http://www.icangarden.com/home.htm
garden ideas including compost tea.

http://www.growingsolutions.com/compostmanual.html
Dr. Ingham's manual on compost tea

http://www.igg.com/bdnow
http://www.gardeningforthefuture.com
Biodynamic sites recommended by Allen Balliett

http://www.biodynamics.com
Biodynamic farming and gardening association

Disclaimer
----------

This FAQ probably has errors and would benefit from
additional information in some areas.  If you see potential
improvement please help others and yourself by sending comments
to jeff owens at:

   email:  [email-masked]
   web:    http://www.xptr.net/~jko

   or to the ecopath discusson list at [email-masked]

This FAQ can be found at:

   http://www.xprt.net/~jko/faq/tea.htm

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