AACT: First go at (aerated) compost tea-----and a few questions🐛

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MerryJane22

MerryJane22

89
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OUTDOOR ORGANIC GROW:

Currently in two gallon pots of super soil (a Michigan Dairy Doo mix---Veggie Doo 301) and we're 55 days from seed. I'm trying hard to be more proactive, as I've battled powdery mildew on first two grows......hoping to create much stronger plants this whirl and not be PM targets.....that's the plan anyway !

I've given my plants compost tea (and top dressed with castings) a few times but decided to give them an aerated version this time. I bought a cheap aquarium unit on Amazon ($14.99) that has two air stones the size of half dollars. I've got them bubbling right now, but they seem pretty weak. Is this still OK?

Also does my recipe sound OK?

* 3 gallons water (mixed well water with fresh rain to reduce solids---PH 7.8 TDS 80)
* 1 and a 1/4 cup castings
* 4 TBLS blackstrap molasses
* 1 TBLS fish emulsion

I plan to foliar feed AND water with this concoction tomorrow as they'll be ready for it (pots getting light) and the forecast is saying 92*

My questions are in regards to PH----I've read that foliar feeding doesn't require any special PH----truth?

Also, is there a sweet spot in terms of aeration time? obviously all these devices vary in power (mine seems pretty weak) should I go longer then? I'd figured 18 hours would be good, but is it "longer is better" or are there simply diminishing returns?

When I feed this solution, should I dilute it with plain water? is there any ratio out there that's best? (like 10:1 water to tea etc) or is full strength fine?

A side note: it seems my soil is getting acidic.....last runoff was 5.8......possibly feeding too many organic goodies the plants don't want or need. I plan on going with 'water only' after this feed for a few so long as all looks good.

That said......maybe this time I should just foliar (for pest management) and water with my well water (PH 8 TDS 185) to help my soil conditions not go further lower? the soil PH last slurry test was 6.2, but as I said runoff was lower. The girls new growth was kinda light green last week so I did a light foliar w/ epsom salt and that's all better now.

I have a TON of other plants (non-cannabis) I could serve this tea to......so there wouldn't be any waste if I skipped it for the girls this time around. Plus I just wanted to use my new system and check things out. It's so f*ing exciting to get something new to assist this hobby to me (especially if it'll help with IPM !!!).

THANK ANY & ALL for reading & happy growing !
 
Last edited:
oldskol4evr

oldskol4evr

12,306
438
let me try and help,i will have to keep going back to thread for all the answer so bare with me
first question// recipe sounds fine ,i would add a small handful of compost to bucket also if it were me ,just for the extra bioligy
second //foilar feeding and ph, what you check now will be difrent when you combine all your doing,in fact by the time you have your tea the soluable solids will mess your reading up anyway, same for your soil ,the slurry is right about were it needs to be and your SOIL is the filter, so keep that in mind, although when using containers the water /feed will be on the bottom of your pots,with your earth beds the moisture will be on the top 3 or 4 inchs, but both are filters how ever you look at it, forget about runoff, what you have for runoff will not only have your feed you just feed ,but will also have the wasted nutes from time before and with the runoff you will also runoff your soil amends you made your soil of ,all those minerals combine in runoff, by the time you get hard into flower in containers ,you might have none and all are supplemented with the feed you put in, if you kinda understand that.
in a nut shell dont worry about the ph of your water until you feel it is making a issue and then check your slurry again,if you are running low at about 6 then start adjusting your water ph,but the sulfur in your soil will adjust the ph alone most often.
question 3// tea, if you dont have a micro scope to tell when the attivity is ideal for use , what i do is watch the head ,when my foam is white i let it continue, when the foam just starts to turn brownish thats when i use my tea hasnt let me down yet
question 4// i ferment my on nutrients but along with them i use the same ratio as the tea,1:100 for feeding,i cant foilar feed at all outside were i live , the temps go as high as 50 degee difrence some days and that is the PM best chance
question 5//epsome salt great stuff but it is a asprin for emergency use only and only about once a month
instead try this ,banana tea , take your banana peels and cut into really small pieces put them into a sauce pan and cover with water about 1/2 inch boil them for about 30 minutes ,then let it cool, take out the peels and bury in your garden,and take the water and feed that too your plants ,they love it same with potato peels .
i make 30 gal of tea at a time,i put 2 handfuls of compost and around 1/2 cup of ewc in one bag, then in a second bag i put a couple small stones in the bag and then i take around 3 potato that i boiled and put them into the bag ,with that bag i dunk under the water and with the stones i grind the potato and they just disolve in the water, then that bag comes out, at that point i add my fermented plant juice ,which is bull nettle and i use KNF OHN , i then turn on my pump and let it go ,after 24 hours i add my fish emulsions and my mollases, careful on the mollases ,the more you add the more the head gonna run out on the ground, CONSIDER YOURSELF WARNED hahahah
ok that as a bitch to write up hahah so remember this if you use nothing but organic stuff as feed and amends you want have to worry about ph ,the filter /soil will ride the storm out,that were micro nutrients really come into play, adding a smiggin of rock dust to your tea is a really great additive , watch your mollases ,it does attract bugs also , add your fish when your tea is almost done,because when you add it ,the head disapears and i dont have a micro scope ,so color of head is key for my use,other than that, hope i could help good luck
 
R

ritoMox

700
143
OUTDOOR ORGANIC GROW:

Currently in two gallon pots of super soil (a Michigan Dairy Doo mix---Veggie Doo 301) and we're 55 days from seed. I'm trying hard to be more proactive, as I've battled powdery mildew on first two grows......hoping to create much stronger plants this whirl and not be PM targets.....that's the plan anyway !

I've given my plants compost tea (and top dressed with castings) a few times but decided to give them an aerated version this time. I bought a cheap aquarium unit on Amazon ($14.99) that has two air stones the size of half dollars. I've got them bubbling right now, but they seem pretty weak. Is this still OK?

Also does my recipe sound OK?

* 3 gallons water (mixed well water with fresh rain to reduce solids---PH 7.8 TDS 80)
* 1 and a 1/4 cup castings
* 4 TBLS blackstrap molasses
* 1 TBLS fish emulsion

I plan to foliar feed AND water with this concoction tomorrow as they'll be ready for it (pots getting light) and the forecast is saying 92*

My questions are in regards to PH----I've read that foliar feeding doesn't require any special PH----truth?

Also, is there a sweet spot in terms of aeration time? obviously all these devices vary in power (mine seems pretty weak) should I go longer then? I'd figured 18 hours would be good, but is it "longer is better" or are there simply diminishing returns?

When I feed this solution, should I dilute it with plain water? is there any ratio out there that's best? (like 10:1 water to tea etc) or is full strength fine?

A side note: it seems my soil is getting acidic.....last runoff was 5.8......possibly feeding too many organic goodies the plants don't want or need. I plan on going with 'water only' after this feed for a few so long as all looks good.

That said......maybe this time I should just foliar (for pest management) and water with my well water (PH 8 TDS 185) to help my soil conditions not go further lower? the soil PH last slurry test was 6.2, but as I said runoff was lower. The girls new growth was kinda light green last week so I did a light foliar w/ epsom salt and that's all better now.

I have a TON of other plants (non-cannabis) I could serve this tea to......so there wouldn't be any waste if I skipped it for the girls this time around. Plus I just wanted to use my new system and check things out. It's so f*ing exciting to get something new to assist this hobby to me (especially if it'll help with IPM !!!).

THANK ANY & ALL for reading & happy growing !
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