How to store EWC?

[AOD2012]

hey everybody. just found a new spot to buy EWC around me, and its a lot cheaper than any of the places i was able to purchase it from before. so i was just wondering, is there a way for long term storage for this stuff? i wanted to go buy a couple of bags to last me for the rest of the winter, since they stop selling it after summer. should i just leave it in the bag, and put it in a plastic container? or does it need to breathe? also does it go bad, or lose anything if stored for a few months? thanks for any input people.

 

[Iron_Lion]

tupperware

 

[opt1c]

its best to brew your own as from what i've read the microbial life is at its most vigorous and diverse shortly after brewing...bokashi stays i believe but i could be wrong; thats what a lot of the prepackaged teas are based off of or so i think

on another note i'd think an aquarium heater might allow one to brew during the colder months if the water was too cold

 

[jaykush]

it needs to breathe, don't let it dry out, and it doesn't go bad for quite a while. i store mine in big rubbermaid containers with holes all over.

 

[opt1c]

so the microbes r still alive and don't form monocultures after storage?? i'm sorry i've been away from the tea debates for a minute. Being able to store my extra would be a great timesaver.

 

[Corpsey]

they are talking about earth worm castings in dry form, not brewed ewc tea

 

[opt1c]

doh; my misread... i see ewc and i think tea... if that's the case makes you wonder about all those bags of wiggle worm and whatnot sitting in warehouses.

 

[AOD2012]

jay, should i leave it in the original packaging, and just drill holds in the top and sides or something? thanks for the input, greatly appreciated.

 

[supermanlives]

in a bag with small holes in a cool dark area

 

[jaykush]

you could if thats all you got, but i prefer a tougher more rigid storage option, but then again i go through a lot of castings. good thing i make them myself.

burlap sacks work REALLY well for not so long storage( few months) after that the microbes eat the burlap lol.

 

[SecretGardener]

in a bag with small holes in a cool dark area

Damnit, I have mine in the garage where its like 85-90*F! So if I got a large tupperware container and drilled some holes in the top and sides then put that under my bathroom sink with the rest of my dry fertilizers it should be aight?

 

[grapeman]

Bagged ewc that I use for soil mixes are stroed in the bag I purchased them in. Fresh product from the ew farm in my area that I use for tea is stored in a 5 gl bucket. Both in the garage.

The ew farmer in my area tells me that the fresh product I use is active for months. Seems to be true as the plants love the tea.

 

[CT Guy]

Burlap sacks are an excellent option, but they will break down over time like JayKush mentioned.

Here's some instructions:

Keep It Simple
BULK COMPOST CARE

When the compost is delivered in woven mesh bags it can be left in these making sure mice don’t get into them. You will need to remove the cable tie and leave the top open to allow for optimal airflow. Do not stack the bags, and store in a cool moist location like a garage or basement.

Best possible storage would be to place the compost in a container with good airflow. A couple of 2x2’s under the container with holes in the bottom (6 at ¾”) works well. Also, make a couple of holes in the sides of the container and 4 holes in the lid. The reason we don’t use larger holes is because we want to make sure mice can not get into the compost but want good air flow through the compost. Compost should be dampened with degassed, spring or well water a couple of times a month (compost tea works the best).

 

[AOD2012]

coolcool. the EWC i get come in plastic bags. should i leave them in there?

 

[tokinafaty420]

it needs to breathe, don't let it dry out, and it doesn't go bad for quite a while. i store mine in big rubbermaid containers with holes all over.

Only thing I would add to that is a cool place as well. It will help prevent or slow down any unwanted fungal or bacterial growth.