Re: [compost_tea] The chemical world

From: Robert Norsen <bnbrew_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2005 00:44:43 -0800 (PST)

Hi Nick- Thatch a lawn in 30 minutes? - It takes 30 minutes to apply the ACT to a lawn that needs thatching, That is the 30 minute I talked about. I am one guy that put that kind of idea out intending it to get some careful understanding. 30 minutes to APPLY THE ACT. Then within the time that it takes to mechanically thatch and re-establish a good looking lawn About 30 days with moderate watering, bacteria will have reduced the thatch enough to allow the grass to grow well. Repeated applications twice or more a season, continued use of ACT for lawn care will keep the thatch from developing. What would have been thatch is nutrients. This is not proven by test patches. This is true from years of lawn care without thatching being required. Lush, thick, healthy grass with no evident thatch. Your answer to their questions " No, hell no" may undermine ACT as much as the claim that was not understood. The claim needed and expected some ongoing discussion or explanation th
 at I
 think was in the body of the claim article. Maybe they just read or remembered the headline. What a wonderful chance you had to explain ACT to a great group!!
 
Nick, you must if fact use the method if you are treating lawns with ACT? Given the repeated applicatins and time so the biology will eliminate the need to thatch.? What is your experience, Nick? One test lawn was at SFI, another at Elains house, a few more in my neighborhood. I don't see as many lawns as you do.
 
As to worms. And aphids. Like all biological system treatments, No, the ACT doesn't kill. I think those claims were made with explanation as to how ACT works and that it is not instant kill. Worms ( usually) gradually returned to their "tent", stopped eating and slowely dried up there. Real advanced worm infestations didn't successfully deworm the tree. Not like some poisons that also kill the birds. The worms hung around but the leaves gadually gained on the worms and the trees turned green again. The second year there were very few if any worms. The second year application controled the worms so they were not a problem. Instant kill? Not wanted. Not claimed.
 
That slow non poison way appeales to some customers. Not all. Some want the ground covered with dead worms along with the dead birds, dead bees, dead lady bugs and dead microbiolgy in the soil. And sick kids? .
 
Aphids much the same. ACT application reduced the aphids. Instant kill would indicate a poison that would not be desireable or legal use of ACT. Suspected way the ACT works is bacteria affecting the eggs or very young. Is it the Aphid that give birth to live aphids? No eggs?
 
In any case Nick instead of ridiculing the ACT industry for making claims that are little understood - perhaps not presented carefully or not understood as presented, you would do the ACT business, including your own, a favor to explain how the claims are true but not in the instant way they interpet the message. Nature, at least safe biology, takes time to perform.
 
Like the no-til layering question of a former message. P & K APPLIED on the surface stayed there. No til is an essential part of the soilfood web concept of agriculture. without the soilfoodweb no til is not a system.
 
On the no til acres described. No biology there to take the P&K down or rather no biology introduced to develop the P & K that was already there IN the soil. With the chemical fertilizers described there was little if any BIOLOGY alive to reduce the no-til trash to nutrients or to release the P&K already in the soil to the plants, or to let the nutrients down.
 
 Result - high cost of chemicals, chemical damage to soil, little bio in the soil to feed the plants, and low yield. Ask Ray Gore how no til is working where the biology is part of the agricultural system.
.
OK, Nick? Good to hear from you. Tell us about your use of ACT in your lawn care business. And about that license. A license to apply ACT? Bob
  
lawnjockeynick <nick_at_lawnjockey.net> wrote:


With needing hours for my commercial applicators license, I went to
the Wilbur Ellis show today. When I would tell people I use compost
tea, I was asked if I was one of those who claimed I could thatch a
lawn and aerate it in 30 minutes with one application of compost
tea. I told them NO and that anyone who made those accusations
where selling snake oil. They said that they've been told that
compost tea kills caterpillars and aphids. We all know there is no
truth to that. I also explained to them that compost tea is
basically organisms that go into the soil to help with cycling and
we still need to do nutrient testing to get our program underway.
Now, after spending time at that show and hearing these wild claims,
I can see how so many people are skeptical of our industry - with no
test plots, data or even pictures to back up the REALISTIC and
beneficial use of compost tea. Nick







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Received on Fri Jan 21 2005 - 11:37:25 EST

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