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Organic Tea Party with The Rev.

Jnugg

Active member
Veteran
I stopped by my local news stand the other week and picked up Skunk Magazine....Excellent mag IMO.

Anyways what got me to buy it was an article on Organic Teas...I have yet to grow 100% organicly and thought I'd pick this rag up for when I do decide to.

Anyways thought I'd share it with you....



Welcome brothers & sisters.In this installation of Living Organics,we're going to learn about the glory of organic compost teas.But I'm not talking about the Celestial Seasonings sitting on your grocer's shelf.If you're growing in soil and want to learn how to come closer to maximizing the potential of your genetics,read on.You'll learn how to create,administer,and benefit from a largely underutilized technique that has produced some stellar results for me over the years.


You may recall from some of my past articles the nutritional benefits of soil microlife for cannabis plants in fully organic environments.To get a better idea of the advantages of teas,note that a teaspoon of compost contains about one billion beneficial microscopic organisms.However,a teaspoon of organic tea is populated by about four billion microbeasties.Another advantage is that pot plants benefit immediately from teas.Think of teas as organic steroids for your plants.


Not Just For Roots

Teas are not only beneficial for your plant roots,but also for leaves.I like to spray a bit on the leaves in a topical application.The benefit comes from the "coating" of microbes that you create on the leaf when you spray it.This basically muscles out any bad microbes.Be sure to cover atleast 70% of the leaf surface with the tea-spray,ensuring that you get both the tops and bottoms.


Fungus vs. Bacteria

Most teas are bacteria-dominant.However,in flowering,fungus is a tremendous benefit to your plants.I wouldn't stress this if I hadn't seen for myself what a difference the fungi make.Organic plants are all about fungi when flowering.If the fungi aren't present,there's just no way to push your plants to the limits of yield and quality.In fact,fungi-dominant teas are so good that they're the trick to achieving yields that border on those produced in finely tuned hydroponic environments.

Fungus takes longer to grow than bacteria.In the population race,bacteria always outgrows fungi by a large margin.Thus,when making a fungi-dominant tea,you have to give the fungi a head start.

Fungus plays a special role during flowering,delivering things such as phosphorous to the plants roots.They also breakdown secondary mineral nutrients and ammonium nitrogen available to the roots.Bacteria then convert the ammonium nitrogen to nitric nitrogen.Both varieties of nitrogen,ammonium and nitric,can be used by a cannabis plant and help it grow vigorously.

Nitric Nitrogen:Makes the plants grow shorter & wider,with closer node spacing.

Ammonium Nitrogen:Causes some stretch in the plant.




Nutrient Flexible

Teas can provide your plants with more than good bacteria.If your plant are lacking food or you encounter a problem that you need to correct,teas are an excellent vehicle for infusing your soil with nutrients.

Personally,I utilize teas mostly to provide my plants with fungi.How many nutrients you should add to you tea depends on what you already have in your particular soil (and needs of your plants).I pack my soil with tons of long-term nitrogen,phosphorous,and potassium,so I don't have to worry about the tea playing the role of nutrient provider.



Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Bacteria

The only real gotcha with organic teas is aeration.You must continually aerate your organic teas.Why?There are two types of bacteria that can develop in you tea : Aerobic and Anaerobic.Anaerobic doesn't need oxygen and is nasty stuff.If you ever smell your tea and it stinks of sewer,don't use it!It means that there's anaerobic activity.A good tea that's rich in aerobic activity will smell like very rich soil (the kind that's teaming with earthworms).Anaerobic teas are bad for more reasons than the fact that they literally smell like shit.They can also manifest E. Coli and introduce things like alcohols,which can kill your plants fast.Good aeration isn't just to supply oxygen to your plant roots.It's also a catalyst that teases the microbes and protozoa out of the compost-or earthworm castings,in the case of vermicompost-without killing them.After the continuous bubbling pushes them out,they consume the nutrients and simple sugars in your tea and multiply in a big way (creating the microlife boom that will,in turn,produce a bust,wherein large numbers of microbes will die their carcasses will nourish your plants' roots).


Thou Shalt Not

There are certain varieties of compost and brewing conditions that should be avoided when brewing a batch of organic tea.

Chlorine:I've said it before and I'll say it again:Never use chlorinated water on organic soil!This obviously includes teas.But if your only source of water is chlorinated,don't freak out.Simply drop an airstone in an uncovered container of the water for 24 hours.Your chlorine problems will be gone.

Compost Leachates:This is just compost squeezed and pressed.It's not very nutrient rich.But it'slack of nutrients isn't the problem (remember,using teas as a vehicle for transporting nutrients to your plants is a supplemental benefit).The problem is anaerobic activity,which can spell death for your plants.

Compost Extracts:While these provide more nutrient value than compost leachates,they still contain anaerobic activity (the big "I'm a dumbass" move in the world of organic teas).

Violent Aeration:Aeration is your friend and the key to a potent tea that's teaming with good bacteria.But too much aeration on the scale that provides an excessive amount of agitation and turbulence to the tea-is a bad thing becuase it will actually beat the microbeasties to death!Be gentle with the teas;remember that they're teaming with microbes!

Ultraviolet/HID/Sunlight:Avoid any high intensity lights or sunlight.Instead,use "normal" house lighting,such as florescent or tungsten.However,avoid any light source near your tea brewer.Regular room lighting is fine,but-as a rule of thumb-dimmer is better.




Mother Mary's Tea Recipes

*The measurments below are for a one gallon tea bubbler.When making teas in smaller containers,simply adjust the recipe or dilute the final tea with water.

*In these recipes,brew the tea with an airstone in a one gallon container for 24 to 48 hours.When you're done brewing,strain it through a nylon stocking (for topical/sprayer applications) or a standard strainer (for normal watering applications) and cut it 50/50 using dechlorinated water.

*Fungi-dominant tea compost should be mixed together and kept very wet for three to seven days prior to brewing.Store it high in a room,near the ceiling and in the dark.The microlife and fungi populations will really bloom if you place a heating pad-set to low-below the container (shoot for 68-75 degrees fahrenheit;20-24 degrees celsius).After three days,it will be visibly booming with fungus (what I call "Santa's Beard").Put this in your tea brewer and bubble it (in place of regular compost).

*Prepare for the container to foam up and bubble over.You should place a tray under your tea bubbler and avoid any electrical or other items that may be damaged or unsafe around the bubbling water.



Vegetattive Stage Recipe

* One Gallon Water *: R/O water,rain water,distilled etc. etc.

* One Teaspoon Black Strap Molasses (unsulfured)1-0-5)*:
Be sure to use only the unsulfured variety.This is because sulfur kills microlife,especially fungus (unless it's elemental sulfur in small ratios).

* One Teaspoon liquid Alaskan Fish Fertilizer (5-1-1)*:
Fungus and bacteria both love fish ferts and go nuts reproducing when it's included.

* One Cup Earthworm Castings (vermicompost) or good outdoor compost*:
Vermicompost provides humates,enzymes,protozoa,nematodes,bacteria,fungus,trace elements,secondary and primary nutrients.

* One Teaspoon Fox Farms Peace Of Mind All Purpose (5-5-5) *:
Food for the microlife that balances the pH of the tea (to about 6.5-7.2).






Flowering Stage Recipes

* One Teaspoon Black Strap Molasses (unsulfured) (1-0-5) *:
An excellent source of potassium during flowering;bacteria prefer these simple sugars,whereas the fungus prefer more complex sugars derived from various organic matter.

* One Teaspoon Fox Farms Peace Of Mind All Purpose (5-5-5) *:
Food for the microlife that balances the pH of the tea (to about 6.5-7.2).

* One Teaspoon High Phosphorous Bat Guano (0-4-0) *:
Fungi love this nutrient and will deliver it to the plant roots.

* One cup Earthworm Castings (vermicompost) or regular compost *:
Good balance of nutrient (trace and secondary).Also a source for microbes and beneficial elements.

* One teaspoon Maxicrop liquid or 1/2 teaspoon water soluble Maxicrop or kelp/seaweed extract (dry) *:
A fungal favorite,this is a key tea ingredient that produces a good ratio of happy fungus.It's also booming with trace elements,some nitrogen,and some potassium.

* 1/4 teaspoon Micronized (soft) Rock Phosphate *:
Fungus attach to the rock phosphate and grow on it.Also a prime source for phosphorous,magnesium & sulfur.




Fungus Dominant (halfway through flowering) Recipes

* 1/2 cup Earthworm Castings *:
See above.

* 1/2 cup Mushroom Compost *:
This is fungus waiting to happen.A rich source of fungal spores and dense organic matter that fungi like to eat.

* Two tablespoons Powdered,100% Natural rolled oats *:
Fungi love this nutrient and will deliver it to the plant roots.

* Two teaspoons Kelp Meal *:
I use kelp meal for several reasons.It's organic matter that fungi like to attach themselves to.Fungi love kelp extracts as a primary food source and the rich trace elements and potassium it introduces.

* 1/4 teaspoon Micronized (soft) Rock Phosphate *:
Fungus attach to the rock phosphate and grow on it.Also a prime source of phosphorous,magnesium and sulfur.


The earthworm castings,mushroom compost,oatmeal,and kelp meal are first mixed together and made very wet.After fungus has grown on this blend,place it in your tea bubbler for 24 hours with some additional liquid (or water soluble) kelp/seaweed extract and Micronized (soft) rock phosphate.
 
G

Guest

Hola, Jnugg :wave:

Thanks for sharing that article with us. I think I may have to use some organic teas this year rather than pure blend and Liquid Karma.

I think I've just been inspired. :D

~SeñorSativa~
 

OriginalMan

Member
Are these teas safe to foliar feed with? I imagine if you do you would have to dillute it. ????? I have been wondering about foliar feeding with teas.
 

Dignan

The Soapmaker!
Veteran
If you guys have any questions for the Rev, you can find him there at their forums. He'd be stoked to have you visit. Guy is super-passionate about organics and teaching people to grow.

Dignan
 

Suby

**AWD** Aficianado
Veteran
It's been awhile since I've read something I felt was really informative.
I'm particularly interested in some of his ideas concerning fungal teas specifically.
I had never though of using rock phosphate in a tea for fungal count.:hotbounce:

SS I knew it was just a matter of time before I'd see you in the Organics Forum :cool:

Dman I"ll have to check that forum out, anyone passionate about organics is a friend of mine.

Suby
 

southpaw

Member
I'm very interested in this "fungi mash" idea. Wouldn't you need to make sure the mix was innoculated with something that has mycorizzhae in it, like Happy Frog or Peace of Mind? I'm no microbiologist so please excuse my initial skepticism, heck, I want to be wrong here. But is the fuzzy junk that grows on old bread really going to be helping plant roots, especially after it gets bubbled in water for twenty four hours?

Great post by the way.
 

Suby

**AWD** Aficianado
Veteran
He's speaking of soil fungus, there are alot of types of mold, bacteria, fungi, etc.
Some can make you sick, others attack food, others feed the soil.
The type we use in teas in aerobic unlike swamp bacteria wich is anearobic.

S
 
V

vonforne

I have used Mushroom compost with cow manure and alfalfa but have never used the oats before. I have recently picked up some soy bean meal that I was going to brew up and see if it had the same effect. I find that about anything you can incorporate into a tea is beneficial to the plants in its own way. I have used FF rock phosphate before.

the idea of letting it sit wet is of some interest also. I like the idea of a two stage tea like that.

V
 

Suby

**AWD** Aficianado
Veteran
Original Man

If I read correctly dilute this recipe half and half with dechlorinated water and strain.
I find the mixing a little weird but I'' be sure to ask Rev about it if I can, I like to just brew it live already diluted.
I don't see the benefit of adding water after brewing when erach drop can be pre-inoculated?

I agree Vman I hadn't though of letting a fungal based compost sit wet.
 
V

vonforne

I will pick up the oats next trip to the feed store. I will begin to work on it this week to see the effects on the Venomhead and the HTCs in flower. They are in WK 1

V
 

jaykush

dirty black hands
ICMag Donor
Veteran
If I read correctly dilute this recipe half and half with dechlorinated water and strain.
I find the mixing a little weird but I'' be sure to ask Rev about it if I can, I like to just brew it live already diluted.
I don't see the benefit of adding water after brewing when erach drop can be pre-inoculated?

i agree, i never dilute my teas. just get the ratios right in the first place and your cool.
 

Jnugg

Active member
Veteran
Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe he dilutes his teas becuase he does not rely on them as the sole nutrient provider.
 

OriginalMan

Member
Thanks for the responses, but actually I was asking if I can use my tea as a spray. When I was asking about diluting the tea, I was asking because I figure the tea at full strength would burn the leaves? I'm still trying to read and learn so, again if it is stupid :pointlaug to spray your plants with the teas in addition to watering (feeding) the soil. Thanks
 
V

vonforne

OriginalMan said:
Thanks for the responses, but actually I was asking if I can use my tea as a spray. When I was asking about diluting the tea, I was asking because I figure the tea at full strength would burn the leaves? I'm still trying to read and learn so, again if it is stupid :pointlaug to spray your plants with the teas in addition to watering (feeding) the soil. Thanks


You don't want to folair spray full strength. I like to dilute until the water in the bottle is barley colored. You can measure if you want but its the way I do it.

And there are no stupid questions OM.

A good additive to your teas is alfalfa but only use in the first few weeks of veg. Beyond that it seems to make the plants start to stretch.

Liquid Kelp is another good one to use combined with EWC. It is hard to over do it with those and it has some outstanding results.

V
 
S

strain_searcher

Thanks Jnug I really like information.. now ya got me thinking about teas again.
 

quadracer

Active member
Really good read, Jnugg. Thanks for posting it.

One thing that I have been adding to my tea lately is humic acid ore. I add a cup or two every five gallons. So far, all my plants seem to be loving it. I emailed Down to Earth (which makes 45% humic acid ore) and this is what they said:

Our Humic Acid Ore is considered a soil amendment and although a large
portion of the nutrients are water soluble, I wouldn't recommend using
it as a tea or foliar spray. However, this doesn't mean that it can not
be used in that way.

Our product is 100% raw mined Humic Shale Ore which is a heterogeneous
mixture of various organic acids, minerals and inert clays. The major
minerals are iron and sulfur with varying amounts of trace minerals
present as well.

The 45% total comprises all of the organic acids present including
Humic, Fulvic and Ulmic.

Thank you for your questions and for your interest in Down To Earth
products!

Although he goes both ways on using it in a tea, other resources say that it does not hurt anything. Here is what wikipedia had to say:

A substantial fraction of the mass of the humic acids is in carboxylic acid functional groups, which endow these molecules with the ability to chelate (bind) (precipitate in some media, make solution in other media) positively charged multivalent ions (Mg++, Ca++, Fe++, most other "trace elements" of value to plants, as well as other ions that have no positive biological role, such as Cd++ and Pb++.) This chelation of ions is probably the most important role of humic acids with respect to living systems. By chelating the ions, they facilitate the uptake of these ions by several mechanisms, one of which is preventing their precipitation, another seems to be a direct and positive influence on their bioavailability.

Humic acid allows for better nutrient uptake by the plant, meaning that less nutrients is necessary to achieve the same effect.

Has anyone else tried or added this to their tea?
 
K

kokua

Jeff Lowenfells has a new book out called "teaming with microbes"...if you haven't had a chance to check that out you really should. Jeff goes into great detail about the differences in bacterial dominated teas/soils and fungi dominated teas/soils. Very very informative. :yes::yes:

http://www.timberpress.com/books/isbn.cfm/9780881927771

fungi dominated soil :)
 
Last edited:
V

vonforne

I bought that same book a few weeks back. The other guy is Wayne Lewis. And the forward is by none other than Dr. Elaine Ingham.

Good link K.

V
 

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