Re: [compost_tea] Herb and Weed Teas - as mineral supplements to the soil/soil life

From: Robert Norsen <bnbrew_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 12:03:45 -0800 (PST)

Scott - why ferment the weeds instead of composting the weeds? It would seem that an aerobic compost would be faster, ore affective and reslt in the weed absorbed soil nutrients would be returned vie compost and compost tea in a safer, faster more effective way.

Scott Alexander <daylily_at_bigpond.com> wrote:
 
Scott asked about plant teas.
They are plant teas when you take the plant material, put it in a container, add water, and let ferment. And make no mistake, it is fermentation.
The brew usually goes anaerobic while the bacteria are using the simple sugars from the plant material, but as the simple sugars get used up, growth rates decline, and oxygen diffuses into the brew faster than it is used up, and the tea returns to the aerobic condition.
 
I (and the group i spoke to) would like to know - If the mixture was aerated, would the weeds and herbs break
down more rapidly and be available to use in a much shorter time?
 
I have heard somewhere (probably at the one-and-only bio-dynamics workshop I went to many years ago) that the predominant weed is able to supply the needs of the soil. I took that to mean that the major minerals, and trace elements could be added back to the soil by applying these plant teas. Someone in this group probably knows which weeds have a predominance of which minerals, and which weeds are telling us something about our soil .
 
So . . . . when the plant teas are "ready" would they be safe to add at the beginning of a AACT brew OR would it be best at the end, just prior to application??? I have lots of huge thistles (supplies copper, I think), Cobblers Pegs, plantain, and a host of other weeds and I reckon these could make a very "nutritious" soil additive once they've fermented.
 
Scott


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Received on Sun Nov 16 2003 - 15:37:05 EST

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