[zolar]

have been doing the fall leaves in a 5 g bucket forever it seems but i don't aerate and i do dump a chunk of compost area dirt in sometimes any suggestions for cheapest way to upgrade this [independently poor on ssi disability pension ] to get better and safer results oh
i add aged diluted urine to this somtimes too.....

For the cheapest option I would go more for extraction than brewing of the tea. Take a few handfuls of compost (preferably vermicompost or worm castings), throw them in a bucket of de-chlorinated water. Add 1-2 T. of unsulfured molasses. Stir vigorously for a few minutes, and then repeat the process as frequently as possible over the next 4-6 hours and then apply.

You won't get the same levels of microbial growth, but you should be able to keep the tea aerobic with the stirring for a short period of time. Personally, I wouldn't bother with the urine in the tea.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by vonforne

Great Post CT! And to think I gave you hell for bieng a corporate goon. Lots of great information there.

Keep up the great work CT. And again Thanks.

V-man

Thanks V, I appreciate the kind words. Really want to get people out there brewing good tea correctly. It makes for healthier plants and helps our industry out in regards to our reputation. I think compost teas really work when they're made correctly!

Cheers,
T

Originally Posted by CT Guy

Thanks V, I appreciate the kind words. Really want to get people out there brewing good tea correctly. It makes for healthier plants and helps our industry out in regards to our reputation. I think compost teas really work when they're made correctly!

Cheers,
T

Hey check this out CT. I am talking to an old German Frau last weekend and she is an organic tea master. Not quit on the cutting edge but she soes collect fungi from the forest via cultures and makes all sorts of teas out of organic plants. Nettles, comfrey and the like. I do not have much time now but thought I would throw that one your way. If I can translate all the inffo I will give it to her and let her check our way out also.

V

[habeeb]

thanks tad, may this sticky grow with your experience

I know you mentioned baby oatmeal ( or something along those lines) for feeding or to keep foam down ??? can you explain this more, thanks

Baby oatmeal could be use as a way to increase your active fungi, prior to brewing. You would add it to your compost 3-5 days before you brew.

Vegetable oil may be used in small amounts to combat foaming. A couple of teaspoons in a 5 gal. bucket typically does the trick. Foaming occurs most frequently when using worm castings, so if you are using a vermicompost, you may want to just add the veg. oil at the beginning of the brew cycle.

Originally Posted by CT Guy

Baby oatmeal could be use as a way to increase your active fungi, prior to brewing. You would add it to your compost 3-5 days before you brew.

Vegetable oil may be used in small amounts to combat foaming. A couple of teaspoons in a 5 gal. bucket typically does the trick. Foaming occurs most frequently when using worm castings, so if you are using a vermicompost, you may want to just add the veg. oil at the beginning of the brew cycle.

I have used baby oatmeal and regular oatmeal. I used to let it sit in a bucket with coffee grounds mixed with water (tepid) and then add to the soil and to my teas. LOL Jaykush, said it used to make him sick to his stomach.

CT, is it more effective added to the tea or to the soil. What is your take on that? I had good luck adding it to the soil in most cases but did find it ineffective in some cases using the same soil compounds.

V

[jaykush]

and i still remember that picture to this day.....

Originally Posted by vonforne

I have used baby oatmeal and regular oatmeal. I used to let it sit in a bucket with coffee grounds mixed with water (tepid) and then add to the soil and to my teas. LOL Jaykush, said it used to make him sick to his stomach.

CT, is it more effective added to the tea or to the soil. What is your take on that? I had good luck adding it to the soil in most cases but did find it ineffective in some cases using the same soil compounds.

V

I do add it to our composts as we do find it increases fungi of large hyphal diameter (which according to Dr. Ingham is what you want). Whether or not this particular species that it selects for is of huge benefit has yet to be determined, or at least I haven't seen any data on it. But, I'd add it to your soil in small amounts. Personally, i really like organic alfalfa meal the best. It's an excellent microbial food, and we use it in our tea and our composts.

[habeeb]

^ thanks, I hear alfalfa is great stuff... I actually have the tea brewing manual and got to reading it today, some stuff I thought I would throw out that some people might not know:

-smaller bubbles make more oxygen in the water
-you want the oxygen content at least at 6 mg /l ( as most will never know...)
-don't add mychorizal ( spelling ) till your ready to use, they will die if they don't hit roots in 24 hours...
-not exactly sure, but I think we want more bacterial dominated teas ??
-400 micron bags
-tad's brewers / setup got a good report in the book ...

also reading the book, it seems to me people think they can make tea with a air stone but there is more science to that, I suggest if people are serious about teas to get at least one tested to make sure that there time doing teas are beneficial

also suggest the book for anyone making teas, I will have to read it several times as I'm reading so many books at once to catch to most you organic guru's..