Re: [compost_tea] Re: back pack sprayers to use for compost teas?

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 22:06:52 -0500

When brewing for winter application, it is better to brew at 65 F, and let the tea slowly cool (for example in the sprayer). You need to have adequate growth in 24 hours in the tea, so the temp needs to be 65 to 70. But then help select for less shock on addition to soil by letting the bacteria and fungi, protozoa and nematodes acclimate a little.

There are always dormant stages of the organisms that grow at other temperatures, oxygen conditions, etc so the inoculum is present for the other conditions. They wake up and start growing at those other conditions, so you are still applying inoculum for the cold-loving bacteria, even when you grow the tea at 65 F.

Any organic matter addition, with beneficials along with, will be an improvement. What we are seeing is that it is important to get the soil chemistry turned around at the same time as adding biology. More to learn....

Oh yeah, copper. It's the situation of the copper tank that has shown impacts on the beneficial bacteria. Which is different from what we are concerned about when considering drinking water.

Elaine Ingham
President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
SFI Corvallis, OR
SFI Port Jefferson, NY
SFI Lismore, NSW, Australia
SFI Hilversum, The Netherlands
SFI Cambridge, New Zealand
www.soilfoodweb.com

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Received on Tue Dec 16 2003 - 22:38:33 EST

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