Re: [compost_tea] soil chemistry facts

From: Ted Peterson <ted.peterson_at_tcsn.net>
Date: Sat, 4 Sep 2004 17:07:00 -0700

I don't know about other people but when I use compost on turf I use very l=
ittle. I usually use 1/4" to 1/2" if you measured it. So what am I trying=
 to do?

1. Transfer compost with bacteria/fungi already active.
2. Provide some organic matter to aid the active biology and the biology th=
at will wake up when the turf is watered.

What am I doing when I apply compost tea?

1. Transfer the biology in a different form and at a magnified rate than co=
mpost.
2. Provide a minimum amount of food in the tea that can help wake up existi=
ng bacteria in the soil.

Minerals content will depend on how I brew my tea or make my compost. If I=
 follow Lubeck (sp) methodology, I am providing mineral content in both my =
compost and my tea. If I have made good compost, I have diversity and will=
 have minerals.

The key here is to get the sleeping biology woken up so it can start the pr=
ocess of dividing and eating that produces healthy soil and healthy plants =
and provide a baseline for higheer level organisms.

Just dumping a bunch of minerals and nutrients does not get the same result=
 for one simple reason: These are applied directly to the plants and bypass=
 the biology. None of the current land management practices that I have re=
searched from a number of Universities even mentions achieving a healthy ba=
lance of soil biology. All the practices are directed towards the plants. =
 

ACT is directed towards the biology.

Ted Peterson
EW/SOE

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: soilfoodweb_at_aol.com
  To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
  Sent: Saturday, September 04, 2004 2:39 PM
  Subject: Re: [compost_tea] soil chemistry facts


  Thomas -

  Parent material is the mineral fraction of the soil. This is a standard =
soil term.

  I did not say that there is an inconsequential amount of nutrients in 1 t=
o 3 tons of compost. Please re-rread my e-mail.

  When you consider soil that has less than 0.5% organic matter in it, and =
you need to have the total set of nutrients or even the exchangeable nutrie=
nts turned into available nutrients for the plants, you either have to add =
compost, with all of the great sets of available nutrients in it, or (!) yo=
u have to add compost so the great set of diverse organisms in it begin the=
 job of solubilizing the massive set of nutrients locked up in the soil par=
ent matterial.

  You are trying to make it sound as if I was arguing against compost, when=
 my message was nothing of the kind.

  I don't like when someone tries to get argumentative, and tries to tell m=
e I am saying something that I never said! Please stop doing that.

  The organisms - whether from compost, or compost tea, will solubilize the=
 massive set of total nutrients tied up in plant-not-available forms in the=
 soil.

  The point of my message was that INORGANIC FERTILIZER is absolutely a was=
te of people's money, except for that short period of time when you are try=
ing to get the organisms established, and have to have soluble nutrients pr=
esent for your plants don't die of lack of available nutrients.

  Elaine R. Ingham
  Soil Foodweb Inc., Corvallis, Oregon
  Soil Foodweb Inc., Port Jefferson, New York
  Soil Foodweb Institute, Lismore Australia
  Soil Foodweb Institue Cambridge, New Zealand
  Soil Foodweb Inc., Hilversum, The Netherlands
  Laboratorios de Soil Foodweb, Culiacan, Mexico
  Soil Foodweb Inc., Jerome, Idaho


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Received on Sat Sep 04 2004 - 20:46:45 EDT

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