Re: [compost_tea] Re: Molasses as fungal food

From: Ted Peterson <ted.peterson_at_tcsn.net>
Date: Sat, 1 Nov 2003 10:54:04 -0800

Listers:

Ok, I have been looking at my "Intro. to Bac." book and scratching my head.=
  Am I to understanding that fungi can be grown in compost tea like bacteri=
a? As far as I can tell, the two have entirely different growth rates and =
some of the factors that promote bacterial growth inhibit fungal growth. I=
 have been working from the concept that bacteria are grown and fungi are e=
xtracted. It all depends on the compost. Start with a high fungal compos=
t, you get a more fungal tea. But a low fungal compost will not be the gen=
esis for a highly fungal tea regardless of nutrients used.

I have experimented with cutting nutrients in half and testing results usin=
g DO. I keep cutting inputs until I get a change in DO at the same time pe=
riod. I figure that by now I am using far less inputs that I did initially=
 with the same results. Of course, I am using as high a quality compost as=
 I can. I keep two "seed" compost piles: One is primarily bacterial and on=
e is primarily fungal.

I have discovered that the best way is to grow the bacteria first then when=
 the brew is in process, add the fungal compost with inputs (molasses is no=
t one of them) that lure the fungi into the mix. I use brewers of my own d=
esign and make sure that I have environments in the brewer that have less v=
igorous action and something for the fungi to "latch onto" once they have b=
een coaxed out of the compost.

It seems to be working but reading these emails I wonder if a competely wro=
ng direction is being pursued. I thought that the idea of this whole thing=
 was to get biodiversity into soil that has been microbiologically depleted=
 from the use of inorganic and organic inputs, not provide a new source of =
NPK.

Using my teas, soils and turf have been restored and fecal coloforms have b=
een controlled in composted biosolids. Am I just lucky that my tea works? =
 I doubt it. It works because I keep to the concept that I am adding life =
to soil and working with the bacteria/fungi.

I have named my brewers the Wrangler (R) (TM) because in a real sense I am =
wrangling bacteria and fungi to tasks.

Ted Peterson
Earth-Wise/Spirit of the Earth
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Jeff Lowenfels
  To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
  Sent: Saturday, November 01, 2003 10:29 AM
  Subject: Re: [compost_tea] Re: Molasses as fungal food


  Doc,

  I think some are getting confused and think that using lots of molasses i=
s the way to get fungi to grow in their teas.

  Would you agree: Yes, you CAN grow fungi by using high concentrations of =
molasses if you have good fungi in your compost/humus, however, this is NOT=
 the easiest way nor the way the compost tea manual suggests you make funga=
l teas.

  ?

  Cheers,

  Jeff

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Received on Sat Nov 01 2003 - 14:22:30 EST

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