RE: [compost_tea] Re: Simple is best

From: Frank Teuton <fteuton_at_sympatico.ca>
Date: Thu, 16 Dec 2004 17:24:56 -0500
Jeff wrote:

"The C:N ratio has nothing to do with maturity, but rather what kinds of
material you put in the compost ie green(N) vs brown (C)."

Jeff, I think this is a fundamental mistake. While it is ideal to start a
compost pile with a 30-35 to 1 ratio of carbon to nitrogen, as the pile
moves through the process, this narrows until finally it levels off at
around 10-12 to 1, by which time it is much less biologically active than it
was at peak moments in the process.

Of course, you can start with higher or lower levels of C:N. But, as the
composting process proceeds, it will tend toward the lower number of 10-12
to 1.

Now, because tea makers want high microbial diversity and activity, it is
good for us to get compost which has gone much of the way to maturity, but
not all the way. Really finished compost is too low in microbial activity
for tea purposes.

So, indeed, a too low carbon to nitrogen ratio would indicate a compost that
is relatively spent for tea making. You want a younger compost for
teamaking, especially where bacterial activity is desired. As the compost
matures, it will be lower in activity and more fungal in character, and can
be used to provide the fungal component to tea making.

Kind of like getting married, something old, something new, something
borrowed, and some nematodes, eh? ;-)

Isn't that so?

Frank Teuton


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Received on Thu Dec 16 2004 - 18:10:49 EST

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