Fermented plant extracts

Allelopathic plants are a bit of a confusion. Kikuyu grass FPE will severly stunt weedy broadleaf and other dicots, but leaves brassicas and various other plants alone. There is no apparent rule of thumb for what type of plant will aid or ail another. This is typical of nature, variation. Another grass (and monocot), bamboo, makes an excellent source of healthy microbial populations said to benefit dicots like our beloved cannabis.

Epiphytes might be good to look at for FPE's and microbes. Pitcher plant is one example - a source of PNSB's. I did a study on a volcanic plateau looking at the first plants settling the land. Over a period of 6 plus centuries the species that went missing from a certain habitat were typically just shaded or crowded out, not many signs of allelopathy outright as in poisoning the neighbours. Some ferns that suppressed grasses... Epiphytes started growing directly on the ground on edges providing habitat and litter for other plant species and as the growth got off the ground the epiphytes took to the trees and thus stayed in the light. These plants are key pioneers taking water from the atmosphere and housing proportionately large numbers of nutrient fixing microbes and insect populations compared to other plant species present. Ranting, but... use this info if you want to kickstart a landscape's free water and nutrient loading capacity, or perhaps examine some microbial populations. Epiphytes are great to have around. More nutrients and water = more biomass = faster soil building. More insects = more birds = more ferts get spread around for free...

Permaculture folk with knowledge of compatible plant guilds could be a good source of information for potential new FPE's and useful epiphyte species in a landscape.

There's already tried and true FPE's thanks to Jay's research and experimentation we are blessed with a great start. This is all good. You can play safe with the ladies you need and experiment at the same time on the side if you wish, meanwhile everyone can save $$ whatever route they take.

Allelopathic plants are a bit of a confusion. Kikuyu grass FPE will severly stunt weedy broadleaf and other dicots, but leaves brassicas and various other plants alone. There is no apparent rule of thumb for what type of plant will aid or ail another. This is typical of nature, variation. Another grass (and monocot), bamboo, makes an excellent source of healthy microbial populations said to benefit dicots like our beloved cannabis.

Click to expand...

yea this just goes back to know what plant your dealing with. some plants that would seem good to use can even be deadly or sickening to us. bamboo makes a great BIM culture.

there is a very good way to ID a plant, well, not ID but it helps make sure you got the right plant.

its called I.T.E.M.ize

I = identification = make sure this is the plant you think it is. does it look like it, the right stems, leaf patterns, growth habit, etc....
T = time of year = is is doing what it should when it should( if its supposed to flower in june and its flowering in cold December, most likely not the right plant)
E = environment = is it growing where it should? is the environment a healthy place to collect?( not on roadsides, near pesticide use, bad things)
M= method of preparation = are you doing what you should be doing with it.

this is mainly for foraging wild plants to eat but we can adapt it to our use of plants as well. if you don't have the first 3 for sure, id use caution on the plant or just find something else for now. if you have the first 3 and you know the 4th( making extracts, making plant meals, etc..) id say anyone is good to go with further experimenting.

I've heard it is beneficial to add a small amount of sea salt to FPE/AEM. I was wondering if anybody knew the correct amount per gallon/quart?

Thanks

ive never heard of that and been doing this for years. if you do add some it would have to be in very small amounts.

I heard it is beneficial because the microbes like the sodium and especially the minerals contained in sea salt. I just made an experimental batch using 1/2 tsp of Mediterranean sea salt to 1 gallon.

Added 1 cup AEM, 1 cup molasses, 1/4 cup alfalfa/kelp tea, 1tbsp mineral mix/rock dust, 1/2 tsp sea salt.

I also have a quart sized batch of sprouted wheatgrass FPE and a quart batch of homegrown beet root FPE.

depending on the plant your fermenting, there is more than likely enough sodium. stinging nettles contain quite a bit of it for example.

so you added 1 cup of molasses to 1 gallon? a bit much imo.

let us know how the beet root extract works. i bet it shines as a flower fert.

and for the wheatgrass, you can just juice it, dilute it and apply. but drinking it for yourself is much better.

jaykush said:

so you added 1 cup of molasses to 1 gallon? a bit much imo.

Click to expand...

What ratio do you recommend?

I just got my 1st bottle of EM-1 last week, so I'm still in infancy.

Hi Stankie

I tablespoon per gallon molasses is plenty.

really you dont need any molasses to make these extracts. i rarely use molasses only when im trying to culture the microbes in and on the leaf( and in small amounts). as far as nutrient extracts go your 100% fine without it and i think better off.

not sure on the EM use, have never used it before.

Oh, my bad. That was the recipe for my Activated Effective Microorganism brew. When I make FPE I don't add any molasses.

darc mind- gorgeous garden!

Another camellia extract just went on some 4 year old strawberries that aren't flowering anymore. One plant didn't get the camellia treatment just plain water. Time will tell if this encourages flowering in them.

fista are you using fresh blooms or fallen ones? the whole bud and flower petals or just the petals?

Using fresh petals only. Got to sift them out for insects all manner of things living in them. Did I mention I found a weta in them:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weta

Cool insects they get huge but are relatively harmless. You don't get em, shame they're prehistoric looking wee beasties.

Speaking of insects, caught a daddy long legs drinking organic milk from my cats bowl. It never went for the other stuff. Same spider I torment throwing bits of vegetable matter in it's web that it removes. It has different techniques according to where on the web the bits land.

Sidetracked...

Might be good to use a pressure valve/lock on cultures going through a ferment to avoid having to open and expose them to the elements. Why? Trichoderma. I got lots of trich on top, I just strained it off never seen that trich as a problem on any living plant.

A camellia petal brew with 150 ml water, 1 cup petals (loose), 2 ml molasses, 5 ml EM-A and left for two weeks. Smelt lovely. Strained and added to 2 1/2 gallon water and applied. 3 days ago, for the record.

Sunflower FPE

Sunflower FPE

First off, thanks to all contributing to this great thread. I have a bunch of sunflowers that have bloomed and still have have a lot of petals, leaves stalks and seeds.

I was wondering how well an FPE with sunflowers would work and if anybody has experimented with it.

Thanks in advance for any input......

b_d

only one way to find out, i do know the seeds are VERY high in P.

i have been reading for while, but not sure it it has been touched down. Is it okay to use brewers yeast to bust up the fermentation process.
i have worked out about 5 different combination from nettles to wheatgrass juice-fish, but i busted it up with beer making yeast.

Final product (liquid) has clarified itself and it is becoming translucent, but i can not say if it is helping or hurtnig the plants yet.
anybody anything about yeast?

hey hay

i cant say for sure, i have never tried using brewers yeast in the extracts.

i find it interesting though that it turns clear. this is what happens when you make it normally with just water and plant matter, if you strain the material and jar it, in a few months it turns from a foggy haze to a clear liquid. i have always wondered how/why. wondering if natural yeasts have anything to do with it.

i doubt it hurts the plants unless they create some form of alcohol in a great amount and you don't dilute enough.

bump

I am dying to give this a go. What i have at the mo are lots of lavender flowers and some comfrey plants coming into flower. Hmmm what else... well i can identify fuschias, honeysuckle and jasmine flowers. Quite a few others i dont know.

Going to start a batch today.