[compost_tea] Re: sugar locking up N

From: Titel Ryzhomer <thegoodjob_at_hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 20 Sep 2004 22:45:35 -0000
Hi Elaine,

Yes, that is clear. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply.
So the N is being used up in the tea not necessarily in the soil as
my friend had suggested. I suppose the only way to check for
protozoa, etc. is with a microscope which I currently don't have or
to get some samples to the SFI lab. I live 2 hours from the closest
town with courier service in Canada. Will the sample still be viable
when it reaches the lab?

I'm using worm castings that come from a supplier which only feeds
them peat and grain. Is this sufficient for a good quality tea in
your opinion? I'm composting with worms myself but just started and
they haven't caught up with my demand yet.

Do you know a good source of quality humic acid available in British
Columbia?

Regards,
Titel

--- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, soilfoodweb@a... wrote:
> If you read the foods section in the Compost Tea Brewing Manual,
it is clear
> about molassess being minaly a BACTERIAL food.
>
> The section about molasses being added and getting higher fungal
biomass is
> when you add SO MUCH molasses that the high sugar content prevents
bacterial
> growth, and thus helps fungi grow.
>
> Be aware of the concentration thing.  At high concentrations,
sugar will
> prevent bacterial growth, and only fungi can survive or grow.  But
that
> concentration has to be REALLY high.  The tea has to be like
syrup......  not fun to
> spray out.  So, not really suitable for most operations.  But
still something you
> need to understand. 
>
> Molasses is a bacterial food, when in low concentrations (less
than 50% of
> brew volume).  AND it causes rapid bacterial growth which will use
up oxygen
> rapidly, and suck up all your nitrogen.  This suck-up phase lasts
until the
> protozoa come up, and start to increase nitrogen cycling again. 
So, you need to
> make certain that your tea has plenty of protoza as well as fungi
and bacteria.
>
> OK?  Did I explain so it is clear?  Please ask more questions if
you need.
>
> Elaine R. Ingham
> Soil Foodweb Inc., Corvallis, Oregon
> Soil Foodweb Inc., Port Jefferson, New York
> Soil Foodweb Institute, Lismore Australia
> Soil Foodweb Institute Cambridge, New Zealand
> Soil Foodweb Inc., Oosterbeck, The Netherlands
> Laboratorios de Soil Foodweb, Culiacan, Mexico
> Soil Foodweb Inc., Jerome, Idaho
> Soil Foodweb Inc., South Africa


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Received on Mon Sep 20 2004 - 20:23:42 EDT

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