Re: [compost_tea] Re: Asian Rust

From: Ted Peterson <ted.peterson_at_tcsn.net>
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 13:41:22 -0800

  I have seen that study and the question I had was how the compost was mad=
e. There is no clear indication that the compost was made using "best prin=
ciples" or how it was turned, treated, watered or whether it was specifical=
ly built for high diversity. As I recall, there were no special inputs for=
 local biology and the way the non-vermi compost was treated was typical. =
One might as well have used a bag of commercial compost.

  I am not against vermicompost. I promote practices that allow a user to =
make the best compost they can using a combination of elements and using th=
at compost as the basis of tea.

  Disease suppression was the only reason tea was applied to the grapes. T=
he first experiment was made to see if the spread of mildew could be contro=
lled by spraying the plants with tea that was full of beneficial biology to=
 see if it would outcompete the pathogen. I had success in that convention=
al treatment was limited to selected smaller areas rather than the whole vi=
nyard. There were drawbacks though and I have mentioned those before.

  Anyway, the reason I promote CT as a part of a sustainable approach is no=
t for disease suppression but for overall plant and turf health. It is my =
feeling that healthy soil with an active, diverse biology that is based on =
local bacteria/fungi, give plants a much better chance of combatting diseas=
e.

  I would never be so audacious as to state: "CT can eradicate mildew outbr=
eaks." To make a statement like that would put me in a very bad situation =
if it doesn't work or if someone operates based on his belief that my state=
ment was correct when, in fact, it was not. It could make me financially l=
iable for crop loss.

  So understand that I take grandiose claims and examine them very closely =
before committing to them. I am finding out what works and what doesn't wo=
rk. I am now involved with a native plant project with two different land =
concervancy organizations and I am finding that a lot of traditional assump=
tions simply don't work in the native environments we are working with. =
 

  Bottom line: Since we don't have a system that will work like chemicals w=
ork but changes based on a variety of elements, we have to be doubly carefu=
l about claims of any sort.

  Ted Peterson
  EW/SOE






Received on Tue Nov 23 2004 - 17:47:45 EST

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