Fungal dominiant compost tea??

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Fungal dominant compost tea??

Whats up fellow farmers I hope everyone if you is well!! I need to make a fungal dominant compost tea for my flowering ladies so I may get the yeilds that i am hoping for! I need suggestions of several key components of the tea. First, what type of compost would have the highest ration of fungus to bacteria? This is prolly the main key component so it is very important that I use the right compost to get the right results! Second, what ingredient should I use to feed the fungus dominant tea(mollasses, kelp, etc)? Any comments and suggestions would be helpfull and please share any info!
 
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dusty

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Don't ever put molasses or you will get bacteria only !!

You want activated compost. I use powdered baby oatmeal. That's the start. In the brewer you want to go with a protein hydrolysate, humic acid...Humax is a good one so is Humisolve..also cold processed kelp , yucca extract , gets it going very nicely.
 
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Thanks for replying dusty! What do you mean activated and which ones would be activated forms of compost? Would alaskan humisoil be a good activated compost? I currently use wiggleworm worm castings for my veg tea, could I use this for my flowering tea as well! What would be forms of protein hydrolysate? Thanks again for the info!
 
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dusty

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I like to use either (worm castings or humisoil) in the tea, but the compost itself that I like to start with is made in house and I'm able to monitor its progress. I know ARBICO organics sells a very good compost you can use to start your teas. Protein hydrosylate is a product like Organic Gem. To activate your compost bring it to field capacity and mix 1 cup of powdered oat meal per gallon of compost and heat in a cool dark place to 80 degrees with a heat mat. When the compost is over run with hyphae add it to the brewer. Good luck
 
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cheyenne

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What fungi is in your compost is what you add or what is naturally found in your area, so long as spores are able to find a suitable home there. There are two base types of fungi that you will want in your compost. the 1st is a saprophytic type. these are decomposers. they break down the raw dead matter and turn it into yummy goodness. the other type that you are looking for are the mycorrhizal's, both endo (in) and exo (out). these fungi help the plants uptake nutrients. the problem with this in a tea is that the hyphal threads cannot live in a water environment. Yes they need water, but they can not live in it. You would either need to be using a TLO type soil that has this mycelium in it, or use as an additive which has the spores in suspension which will then run out thru your soil. If you really want to learn about fungi and all the great things about them i highly encourage everyone to get a copy of Paul Satmet's "Mycelium Running, How mushrooms can help save the planet". Highly informative book that deals mostly with myco-restoration techniques but also delves into mychorrizal associations.
 
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zappafan99

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What fungi is in your compost is what you add or what is naturally found in your area, so long as spores are able to find a suitable home there. There are two base types of fungi that you will want in your compost. the 1st is a saprophytic type. these are decomposers. they break down the raw dead matter and turn it into yummy goodness. the other type that you are looking for are the mycorrhizal's, both endo (in) and exo (out). these fungi help the plants uptake nutrients. the problem with this in a tea is that the hyphal threads cannot live in a water environment. Yes they need water, but they can not live in it. You would either need to be using a TLO type soil that has this mycelium in it, or use as an additive which has the spores in suspension which will then run out thru your soil. If you really want to learn about fungi and all the great things about them i highly encourage everyone to get a copy of Paul Satmet's "Mycelium Running, How mushrooms can help save the planet". Highly informative book that deals mostly with myco-restoration techniques but also delves into mychorrizal associations.

Here is his website, guy is a master in his field. Name was misspelled so I got you a link to his site.http://www.fungi.com/
Here is a video on the TED website. http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_stamets_on_6_ways_mushrooms_can_save_the_world.html
 
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bicycle racer

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What fungi is in your compost is what you add or what is naturally found in your area, so long as spores are able to find a suitable home there. There are two base types of fungi that you will want in your compost. the 1st is a saprophytic type. these are decomposers. they break down the raw dead matter and turn it into yummy goodness. the other type that you are looking for are the mycorrhizal's, both endo (in) and exo (out). these fungi help the plants uptake nutrients. the problem with this in a tea is that the hyphal threads cannot live in a water environment. Yes they need water, but they can not live in it. You would either need to be using a TLO type soil that has this mycelium in it, or use as an additive which has the spores in suspension which will then run out thru your soil. If you really want to learn about fungi and all the great things about them i highly encourage everyone to get a copy of Paul Satmet's "Mycelium Running, How mushrooms can help save the planet". Highly informative book that deals mostly with myco-restoration techniques but also delves into mychorrizal associations.

informed post thanks.
 
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bicycle racer

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whats the mechanism that causes carbohydrate products to only promote bacterial colonies but not any fungal populations?
 
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cheyenne

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Here is his website, guy is a master in his field. Name was misspelled so I got you a link to his site.http://www.fungi.com/
Here is a video on the TED website. http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_stamets_on_6_ways_mushrooms_can_save_the_world.html


Ooops, stupid fat fingers. Paul Stamets. He is a really great guy and i am fortunate to have taken a couple of his classes. My passion for ganj is only usurped by my passion for fungi! The book is seriously inspiring.
 
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cheyenne

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whats the mechanism that causes carbohydrate products to only promote bacterial colonies but not any fungal populations?

It fully depends on the type of fungi you are talking about. Presence of carbs have no effect on whether or not there is a presence of fungi. Im not completely familiar with the feeding habits of fungus but i would speculate that the bacteria convert the carbs to sugars which are consumed by the fungus and passed along to the plant host.
 
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shavits

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Thanks everyone for all you input it is greatly appreciated, it is very interesting info for sure!
 
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bicycle racer

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It fully depends on the type of fungi you are talking about. Presence of carbs have no effect on whether or not there is a presence of fungi. Im not completely familiar with the feeding habits of fungus but i would speculate that the bacteria convert the carbs to sugars which are consumed by the fungus and passed along to the plant host.

so how do you feel about using simple sugars to begin with particularly d-ribose(deoxy ribose) i feel this is possibly a useful compound and maybe would promote both bacterial and fungal populations just theory though.
 
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cheyenne

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so how do you feel about using simple sugars to begin with particularly d-ribose(deoxy ribose) i feel this is possibly a useful compound and maybe would promote both bacterial and fungal populations just theory though.

I dont think the addition of sugars will have any effect on fungi. I dont recall ever seeing any sugars added to agar or spawn material to facilitate expediting the mycelia growth rate.
You are dealing with two vastly different topics here ....bacteria and fungi. They can both live independently and together and have vastly different needs as far as food sources go. Seems like it would be a good food source for bacteria which may have a secondary effect on the fungus though.....if the fungi are feeding on bacterial waste.....more bacteria=more waste=more food for hyphal growth......but if the fungus is feeding off the bacteria rather then in an mycorhizzal situation with the plant, id think you are using the wrong type of fungus.....this is all speculation on my part though.
Regardless i love the topic and embrace these hypothesis!
 
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dican01

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to my knowledge, compost teas need no activator. people used to add molasses, but you do not need to. plus, i do not want to spray sugar on my plants, it is not good for them. i add a little bit of maxicrop's soluble seaweed powder at the end, once the tea is already brewed. if you are going to add anything extra to your compost tea, it is better to do it at the end.
 
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Gr8tful

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I dont think the addition of sugars will have any effect on fungi. I dont recall ever seeing any sugars added to agar or spawn material to facilitate expediting the mycelia growth rate.
You are dealing with two vastly different topics here ....bacteria and fungi. They can both live independently and together and have vastly different needs as far as food sources go. Seems like it would be a good food source for bacteria which may have a secondary effect on the fungus though.....if the fungi are feeding on bacterial waste.....more bacteria=more waste=more food for hyphal growth......but if the fungus is feeding off the bacteria rather then in an mycorhizzal situation with the plant, id think you are using the wrong type of fungus.....this is all speculation on my part though.
Regardless i love the topic and embrace these hypothesis!

If fungal spores were inoculated into a honey or karo and water mixture it would grow? The molasses is feeding the bacteria just as the fungus. What you are doing is feeding the bacteria and the fungi immediate food and possibly providing them with a source they break down over time.
 
Blaze

Blaze

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Too much sugar or carbs can cause bacterial blooms, which will lower the dissolved oxygen content in the compost tea and can result in the tea being contaminated anaerobic bacteria. Also bacteria will always out-compete fungi if they have enough food as they multiply very rapidly where as fungi grow and multiply much slower. If you want a fungal dominant tea, don't use molasses or other sugar sources as this will give the bacteria too much of a head start. For bacterial dominant or balanced tea however, small amount of molasses is a great additive and recommended as a compost tea ingredient by many experts and scientists such as Dr. Elaine Ingham, founder of Soil Food Web Inc and author of the Compost Tea Brewing manual.
 
Samoan

Samoan

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Too much sugar or carbs can cause bacterial blooms, which will lower the dissolved oxygen content in the compost tea and can result in the tea being contaminated anaerobic bacteria. Also bacteria will always out-compete fungi if they have enough food as they multiply very rapidly where as fungi grow and multiply much slower. If you want a fungal dominant tea, don't use molasses or other sugar sources as this will give the bacteria too much of a head start. For bacterial dominant or balanced tea however, small amount of molasses is a great additive and recommended as a compost tea ingredient by many experts and scientists such as Dr. Elaine Ingham, founder of Soil Food Web Inc and author of the Compost Tea Brewing manual.
Very Well Put! Mahalo
 
Samoan

Samoan

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to my knowledge, compost teas need no activator. people used to add molasses, but you do not need to. plus, i do not want to spray sugar on my plants, it is not good for them. i add a little bit of maxicrop's soluble seaweed powder at the end, once the tea is already brewed. if you are going to add anything extra to your compost tea, it is better to do it at the end.
From what I read, Kelp will at first slow the process of bacteria and fungi from reproducing for around 24hours? So if it is added first, you will need to brew a 48 hour tea for it to be balanced?

I have also read of some who add kelp to there tea last as well do you add it last for the above reason?

Mollases is food stock for the microbes, my understanding is that if you do add Mollases(in the beginning of your brew cycle) it should be brewed for only 12-24 hours because the bacteria start to feed on the molasses, and can reproduce at an exponential rate. -If brewed for too long it is possible for them to reproduce too quickly and deplete the water of oxygen which will result in possible growth of anaerobic bacteria.


Are you absolutely sure that sugars are BAD for the leaves? Maybe will help to chelate nutrients?-maybe attract pests-maybe even repel some?

Spraying with Compost Tea
When plants evolved on land, they formed an alliance with the microbial life in the soil and air. Certain species of bacteria and fungi became the chefs that prepared the plant’s food, the medics that helped them fight disease. Plants like to dine on biologically predigested nutrients; it is easier for them to assimilate. Healthy plants have a strong immune system that includes a ‘bio-film’ of microbial life on the roots, stems and leaves. To make use of these biological principles to feed and protect our plants, we can spray with compost tea.

Compost tea is “brewed” by aerating a mixture of water, compost (sometimes humus or worm castings), and organic nutrients such as molasses, kelp, fish emulsion, and yucca. This produces a nutrient-rich solution containing vast colonies of beneficial bacteria and fungi. The microbes digest the nutrients into organic compounds that can be easily taken in by the plant. These same microbes colonize the surface of the leaves to help fight off disease.

When you spray with compost tea, you envelope the plant with living organisms -- and you enhance the web of life of which the plant is a part. The results can be astounding: large, mineral rich vegetation with clear glossy leaves, decreased disease, and even lessened insect attacks. Plants treated with foliar fertilization and especially compost tea have higher “Brix” levels – a measure of the carbohydrates and mineral density in the sap. High Brix is said to make the plants less attractive to pests and more resilient to stress. If they are vegetables, they even taste better!

Compost tea, unlike mineral sprays and foliar fertilization, cannot be over-applied and does not burn leaves. The microbe-rich droplets drip off the leaves to improve soil and growing solutions. Those same microbes can clean up toxic chemicals and turn them into nutrients. For growers who regularly use compost tea, there is nothing better. The main drawback is that brewed compost tea is not always available and, being alive, has a limited shelf life.
 
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