[NAD]

I use 1 TEASPOON per gallon of blackstrap, a little goes a long way.

Original recipe from the very first page of this thread:


"Here's a recipe from Dr. Ingham of Soil Food Web Labs (www.soilfoodweb.com):

5 gal brewer
1 lb. compost
½ cup of humic acid
1 to 3 T. of kelp
1 tsp. of non-sulfured, blackstrap molasses"

LESS IS MORE! I know its hard not to add stuff. Really isn't necessary to add anything but to add good compost and a bit of molasses.

Using a tablespoon of molasses per gallon is looking for trouble.


not trying to say anything negative about what works for others.

[heady blunts]

finally got a little tea brewing station set up. using the "60+gal" aquarium pump from petco. i've been making a tea bag with cheesecloth, putting two of the four air stones inside the bag amongst the EWC. the other two also go in the tank. i weigh them with a stainless steel butter knife to keep the bubbles coming from the bottom. here's my recipe:

~2gal pre bubbled tap water
~3/4c EWC
~1 tbsp kelp extract
~1 tbsp fish hydrolysate
~1/4 tsp barley malt

only on my third brew, but it's coming out pretty beautiful. now all i need is a microscope!

ps- the stainless steel knife was my best idea for a sterile weight. anyone see any problems with that or have better suggestions?

[Microbeman]

1 gallon = 16 cups = 256 tablespoons

2.38% by volume compost or vermicompost (EWC) per gallon = .38 cups or around half a cup max or about 2 cups in 5 gallons max.

0.5 to 0.75% molasses by volume per gallon = 1.28 to 1.92 tablespoons per gallon. 0.75% is the maximum I use. It is a good bacterial and fungal food.

0.063% fish hydrolysate by volume per gallon = 0.16 tablespoon = 0.479 teaspoons or half a teaspoon

0.25% (max) kelpmeal by volume per gallon = 0.64 tablespoon or half a tablespoon

In my opinion it is a little confusing for someone to say to use a weight of compost. What is that? Wet it down and a pound becomes less.

Why is using a tablespoon of black strap molasses per gallon looking for trouble? Using a 1/2 cup of humic acid in 5 gallons is trouble for sure according to my and CT Guy's testing.

[heady blunts]

micro-

sounds like i should be putting a lot more molasses/barley malt, and a bit less fish guts.

thanks for the condensed info!

ps- i'm probably not the first person to figure this out, but i was having trouble adding the molasses/barley malt due to its consistency, but i've figured out warming up a couple tablespoons of water and dissolving it into that, then adding that solution to the brewer is a lot easier.

[someotherguy]

CT Guy, Microbeman or Clackamas Coot, this is a bit off topic but i was wondering if i could get some advice on beneficial spider-mite controls and reliable suppliers as i have an infestation that i have been holding back with frequent sprayings and No Pest Strips for close to a year now and i'm getting tired of seeing them in my garden.

anyway, i've only recently committed to organic growing, i'm brewing my 3rd 5 gallon tea (3 cups EWC, 1 tablespoon of blackstrap molasses and 2 scoops of Super Tea mix from the Guano Co. and 1 scoop of FoxFarms, Peace-of-Mind All-purpose 5-5-5 [scoops are aprox. 2 tablespoons])

my point is, i stopped using the No Pest strips because i don't want to kill anything beneficial but, at the same time, i don't want the mites to now be able to flourish so i'd like to add beneficials.

lol, hence my question to you organic old-timers.

anyway, thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

peace, SOG

[grapeman]

A question for CTGuy & MicrobeMan.

In my area our local USDA Soil scientist that I've used and known for 30 years retired and formed a company selling EWC, Mycos, Azo and other various bacterias to local farmers and large nutrient companies for re-packaging. I'm meeting with him next week to pick up some comp'ed products.

In discussions with him he informed me that he is also brewing specific teas for the local farmers. I told him that I was doing the home brewed thing for my tomatoes.

He asked me what my ph was of my finished tea. I told him I've never checked it really. He says that if it isn't under a ph of 3 or 4 it is worthless as at that level or less, it is full or "organic acids", which is what he says is most beneficial. Higher then that and it is not worth applying.

I've never seen a post here about the ph of a finished tea (I might have missed it) so I am wondering if there is validity to this statement.

Thanks

[Thomkal Vwalaa]

Originally Posted by grapeman

A question for CTGuy & MicrobeMan.

In my area our local USDA Soil scientist that I've used and known for 30 years retired and formed a company selling EWC, Mycos, Azo and other various bacterias to local farmers and large nutrient companies for re-packaging. I'm meeting with him next week to pick up some comp'ed products.

In discussions with him he informed me that he is also brewing specific teas for the local farmers. I told him that I was doing the home brewed thing for my tomatoes.

He asked me what my ph was of my finished tea. I told him I've never checked it really. He says that if it isn't under a ph of 3 or 4 it is worthless as at that level or less, it is full or "organic acids", which is what he says is most beneficial. Higher then that and it is not worth applying.

I've never seen a post here about the ph of a finished tea (I might have missed it) so I am wondering if there is validity to this statement.

Thanks

Hey, I know this wasn't asked of me, but my tea (bountea) comes out around 6.0 pH with RO water. Hope "he" is not correct. I thought this was about life, not organic acids.

I also am not CT Guy, MM, or CC, but maybe he was referring to a fermented plant extract? With EM concoctions I know the finished pH is supposed to be 3.4 or below. Never heard anything similar for an AACT. Make sure you two are referring to the same 'tea'....as in nutrient tea, microbe tea, or fermented tea.

I pH'd my AACT once and it was 7.0. 1st and last time I did that.

[Microbeman]

Originally Posted by someotherguy

CT Guy, Microbeman or Clackamas Coot, this is a bit off topic but i was wondering if i could get some advice on beneficial spider-mite controls and reliable suppliers as i have an infestation that i have been holding back with frequent sprayings and No Pest Strips for close to a year now and i'm getting tired of seeing them in my garden.

anyway, i've only recently committed to organic growing, i'm brewing my 3rd 5 gallon tea (3 cups EWC, 1 tablespoon of blackstrap molasses and 2 scoops of Super Tea mix from the Guano Co. and 1 scoop of FoxFarms, Peace-of-Mind All-purpose 5-5-5 [scoops are aprox. 2 tablespoons])

my point is, i stopped using the No Pest strips because i don't want to kill anything beneficial but, at the same time, i don't want the mites to now be able to flourish so i'd like to add beneficials.

lol, hence my question to you organic old-timers.

anyway, thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

peace, SOG

I used persimilis and lady bugs to control spider mites. Use the lady bugs first as they don't normally last that long, followed by persimillis which can stick around a long time. Coot may know places in the USA to get bugs. I had a living soil going in bins so had natural populations of rove beetles and cucumeris (sp?) as well which go for two spot spider mites a little. I'd simplify my compost tea were I you. [just (vermi)compost and foods]

[Microbeman]

Originally Posted by grapeman

A question for CTGuy & MicrobeMan.

In my area our local USDA Soil scientist that I've used and known for 30 years retired and formed a company selling EWC, Mycos, Azo and other various bacterias to local farmers and large nutrient companies for re-packaging. I'm meeting with him next week to pick up some comp'ed products.

In discussions with him he informed me that he is also brewing specific teas for the local farmers. I told him that I was doing the home brewed thing for my tomatoes.

He asked me what my ph was of my finished tea. I told him I've never checked it really. He says that if it isn't under a ph of 3 or 4 it is worthless as at that level or less, it is full or "organic acids", which is what he says is most beneficial. Higher then that and it is not worth applying.

I've never seen a post here about the ph of a finished tea (I might have missed it) so I am wondering if there is validity to this statement.

Thanks

He is 100% full of sxxxt! I have checked pH on many many many finished brews and the pH can vary widely. A CT which finishes between 5 and 7 pH is desirable as there is more liklihood of a diversity of live microbes. Under 4 pH bacteria begin going dormant or die which is why food testers use it as a guideline for safety for consumption. (naturally acid trends to fungal; alkali trends to bacterial) What kind of scientist is he??? It sounds like he is talking about EM fermentations. Feel free to refer him to me via my webpage.

If he is really talking aerated compost tea he has not a clue (unless fermenting) and should not be spreading this misinformation.