[compost_tea] Re: fungal foods for worms

From: irene bensinger <irene_at_trilliumwoods.com>
Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2003 00:45:44 -0800

Kirk wrote:

> I've never tried to use burlap bags but there is no
>reason they wouldn't work well, seems to me, unless they've been treated as
>you suggest, with a creosote or other bizarre chemical preservative, which
>would introduce some nasty petroils. Cocofibers need to be screened for
>chlorine content, in my experience.

I've used burlap bags for about five years. It usually takes about
six to eight months for the worms and their friends and allies to
completely eat it. The only thing they leave, naturally, is the
non-biodegradable thread used to sew the bag together at the bottom.

I've never had a problem with worms not liking the cocofiber, but
I'll ask them if they're getting swimming pool eyes. ; )

> > like cross-sections of big fuzzy dandelion heads, very white and
>> growing, growing. <
>Sounds to me like healthy stuff, if it looks and smells ok.

Long growing hyphae spreading out from a central colony, very white
and basically odorless. I just checked them -- they're *really*
growing now, the whole upper surface of the burlap bag is now
colonized. This is the same stuff that I find in the composted wood
chip piles outside, under piles of brush under trees, on the
underneath side of rotting logs, etc. so I think it must be the Good
Stuff.

As we live in the middle of a mature mixed forest we haven't had to
work too hard to get good garden soil and tilth. Plenty of both
'green' and 'brown' to hand, and when we first built the compost bins
(before we built the house) we never added a worm. We built it, and
they came.

So, given that there appears to be plenty of fungal activity all
around us, what am I trying to accomplish with fungal teas? I know
that they're really important for protecting leaf surfaces from
colonization by The Bad Guys, but what am I trying to accomplish with
soil drenches? If there are already fungi in the soil, seems to me
that I just have to keep feeding them via compost and soil amendments
like kelp, rock dust, etc. Is this right?

>How to use the fungi? If they're as big as you suggest, seems to me like
>direct ground application in a mulch is best. Compost tea methods are not
>going to put a lot of mature fungi onto spray targets, more fungal newbies I
>think, so it doesn't sound to me like they make sense in tea.

I hadn't thought to put them into tea, but just wondered if they'd be
more helpful out in garden rather than feeding critters in the worm
bin.

>Based on my experience with egg shells, I don't think worms will do a lot
>with crab shells. I think if you want to spike vermicompost chitinally, you
>probably should use a chitinase prep. Don't know though. Jeff? Doc?

I don't think eggshells contain chitin, but that may just be my
ignorance talking. I know that worms don't do much with them, but out
in the big compost bins they do eventually seem to break down.
Generally I just stockpile them, boil them a bit to sterilize them,
and then crumble them into the hens' feed. I'm guessing that their
own eggshells might make calcium more easily available to them than
oyster shell (which they also get), but again I may just be talking
through my hat.

>Worms working with local organic materials will produce appropriate levels
>of chitinase (and fungal) materials, imo. Unless you have a severe insect
>problem, I don't think chitin is a big deal or real useful, actually. Good
>composts and vermicomposts -and compost teas - will manage in time, I think.

No problems, just trying to make good things better. This year we did
have a lot more aphids than in past years, but I chalk that up to the
fact that for some reason we had almost no ladybugs. Other than that
we really don't have bug or disease problems. Now, slugs...

> Haven't used them in a worm bed, though. Imagine they would not
>be quite as good a strata divider (not barrier, correcting myself earlier)
>as cardboard, but similar.

I only use one on the very top, under the lid. I find it helps
regulate fluxuating moisture levels by wicking up and spreading out
the excess when I've added stuff like melon or squash, which can get
really watery. The worms really crawl all over the bag, inside the
folds, on the top, so I'm guessing that they're happy with it.

Terence wrote:

>Check out the following URL
>http://fungiperfecti.com/mycotech/index.html
>They do a lot with placing "fungal mats" for a variety of purposes.
>You take a risk with out knowing what is growing in the burlap but
>it is how we learn, take notes.

It's really interesting that you should mention that website. I've
just begun looking into creating a mushroom patch using their
products. Their company is not far from here.

Thanks again for all the good info.

irene

irene_at_trilliumwoods.com


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Received on Mon Oct 20 2003 - 15:05:34 EDT

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