Re: [compost_tea] Another Newbie with the same question

From: jim allAn <jallan6977_at_earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2004 14:53:12 -0400
   A fair plan Bruce, but don't forget the nitrogen part of your
additions.  Both are needed if you are to get a good soil.  Nitrogen
could be from grass clippings, fresh alfalfa clippings, or manure
that can be trusted to be free from chemicals used to keep away flies
or wormer medicines.  the grass clippings or alfalfa should also be
free of pesticides.  A lot of things you  wouldn't want inside your
vegetables. 
   I am lucky enough that a close neighbour has about 10 head of beef
cattle which mainly free range in the summer.  I clean up all the
drier stuff from the concrete pad in back of the barn which gives me
nearly a yard of manure each year.

On 16 Sep 2004 at 6:46, bruce smith wrote:

> I have enjoyed all this learning. I see the why of making compost tea
> with oxygen and proper feeding. I need to heal my land which was
> abused for years and years before I got here. I am learning to build
> the soil food web right now with RWC  (remedial wood chips) and
> leaves. Feeding the small microherd that lives within my garden now
> that I have taken it under my wing. I see compost tea as another way
> of doing this with naturally occuring organisms.  This has been my
> goal since I learned that these creatures existed. Now I can read here
> and learn to do this. I am an intelligent person who comprehends the
> hows and why's  but haven't the gift of words I see here. Just a plain
> person with a gift to grow my cityhomestead beyond just a garden..To
> make it a permaculture closed eco-system where I am just a care taker
> or steward.  Thanks for ALL the great posts pro's and con's.. Smitty
> list papa of: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Cityhomestead/
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EdenRenewed/
>   ----- Original Message -----
>   From: soilfoodweb_at_aol.com
>   To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
>   Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2004 1:46 AM
>   Subject: Re: [compost_tea] Another Newbie with the same question
>
>
>   Ted is right - I tend to want to KNOW what's going on, so I get into
>   the technical side of why the organisms grow, what gives certain
>   results, etc. 
>
>   Bacteria grow more rapidly, and they out-compete every other
>   organisms when simle sugars, like molasses, simple proteins, like
>   milk proteins, are added to tea.  Bacteria grow rapidly (faster as
>   teperature rises) and use up oxygen rapidly, driving a compsot tea
>   anaerobic, usually resulting in the wrong kind of bacteria to help
>   plants grow being present in the brew. 
>
>   Fungi use the more complex foods, so if you want to put back into
>   soil the organisms that have been killed by too much tillage, too
>   much pesticide use, too much inorganic fertilizer use, too much
>   compaction, etc, you need to encourage fungi.  So add fish
>   hydrolysate, humic acids (water-extracted please), oatmeal, or other
>   complex proteins.
>
>   Most people don't need to know deep knowledge of why teas work, but
>   isn't it nice that when you do want to know, there's someone who
>   probably can explain things to you. 
>
>   So, sharing your results as you develop your brewing experience
>   would be great!  We can all benefit by knowing more.
>
>   Elaine
>
>
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Received on Thu Sep 16 2004 - 16:11:38 EDT

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