[compost_tea] Compost tea in Quauhtemoc

From: Steve Diver <steved_at_ncat.org>
Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2004 00:20:04 -0000

Greetings from Mexico -

Quauhtemoc is in Chihuahua. This is the largest
apple production region in Mexico.  There are
30,000 ha of apples, plus peaches as well.

Compost teas and compost have gained rapid
adoption in just the last 3 years.

There are now 3,000 acres of apples treated
with compost teas.

One group is making a 500 gallon brewer.
There are now 30 brewers in use on orchards.

Foliar applications of 25-50 gallons per acre
are made, with 5 applications per season the
norm. One orchard is making 15 applications
on weekly intervals, starting during bloom.

The growers are reporting greatly reduced
incidence of disease and use of fungicides.

Micro-sprinkler irrigation injection of
compost teas is also made, with 4 applications
per growing season.

Compost is now being made with the HCL Turner
and the Aeromaster Turner.  Typical compost
application rates in orchards here is 1.5 to
2 tons per acre.

Vermicompost is being made. One orchard has
7 ha doubling as vermicompost beds running
down the tree row, 2 meters wide and 6 inches
high. 

Biological farming is catching on, and they
are looking for more information and techniques.

One company working in the region has a couple
of biological products and they use a root
micorhizotron for demonstration and research.
That is a remarkable way to see roots, root hairs,
root caps, mucigel, and so forth, even microarthopods
and unknown creatures.  Very cool, very expensive.

Iīm here at the 10th Intīl Symposium on
Temperate Fruit Crops, talking about EM
and Compost Teas.

The fruit growers in Quauhtemoc are progressive.

However, drought and electrical costs of pumping
irrigation water and suppressed market prices
amount to economically hard times for fruit growers
here, and elswhere.  It is a world problem.

Adios,
Steve Diver
 






Yahoo! Groups Spons= or

Get unlimited calls to

U.S./Canada



Yahoo! Groups Links

Received on Fri Nov 12 2004 - 13:49:26 EST

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0 : Tue Feb 07 2012 - 14:15:35 EST