dannyboy602
Well-Known Member
I'm really more into soil biology now and finding this thread is great. I'll sub up and look for some of the publications you guys are reading and start from there.
GREAT POST tricky!...I've been so lucky as to be able to Q: and A: the author/owner of http://microbeorganics.com/ ,here is his response.
If you are wanting to make compost tea = ACT. The easiest and an effective way is to use whatever compost or vermicompost (ewc) you are using at 2.38% of your volume of water [eg. 5 gal X 2.38% = around 1/2 cup) and 0.50% black strap molasses (20 ml or around a tablespoon + a teaspoon), then brew that for 24 hrs to 36 hrs. If your brewer is homemade, let your nose and gut be your guide. If you wish to put in some alfalfa meal there is nothing wrong with that but whatever you add put it at the beginning of the brew. Alfalfa meal maximum 0.25% ( 10 ml; 2 teaspoons)
Fish hydrolysate 0.063% (2.52 ml or 1/2 teaspoon). You can also use soft rock phosphate at the same rate but lately I've learned it can contain polonium 210 so up to you.
Efficacy is dependent on compost quality.
I would not use liquid kelp weekly but that is your choice. Follow the instructions on the bottle.
I would use humic acid a little under what the instructions say.
I use fish hydrolysate diluted according to manufacturer when I think it seems needed but it depends on your whole growing regimine and I don't know that.
your right , thats a very quality read!Teaming is the best and most read-able book of its kind that I've found. It seems to put the big perspective in place for people.
I agree completely. I've also come to appreciate adding materials like Crab Shell to specifically feed predatory helpers that seek and destroy nasty critters that would like to harm our plant. I feed the herd that feeds my plant and I also feed the guard dogsonce a man reads that book , his whole outlook on dirt changes.... it goes from a pile of dirty dust , to a pile of living goodness. ..... then you start accumulatin bugs you never seen or heard of an instead of freakin out , your tryin to figure out a way to feed them!
i feel the same way. i also breed fish and the females must be thrown away , so some go into the worm bin , some into the compost can , some get fed back to the fish an the rest get thrown out in the outside compost. (i know your not supposed to put meat or dairies in the bins , but i use EVERYTHING, yea too much meat or dairies will stink , and oils can cause probs , but if you limit those things , your bin will eat the funk off them.)I agree completely. I've also come to appreciate adding materials like Crab Shell to specifically feed predatory helpers that seek and destroy nasty critters that would like to harm our plant. I feed the herd that feeds my plant and I also feed the guard dogs
yea i dont disturb anything myself , but a couple years ago when this happened , the roots were coming out the holes so thick , i had to pull one out to look at it. (the plant forced me , i had no choice)I don't recall your root pron, but I personally haven't seen a root ball in a while. I let the microbes eat them. I keep watering the herd (now I plant clover on top to fix Nitrogen and keep the AM Fungi network in tact). I don't disturb the soil.
your not talking "mulch" are you ? also , is this in pots or ground ?now I plant clover on top to fix Nitrogen and keep the AM Fungi network in tact