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StonedOwl

Guest

Apr 22, 2009

#1

Hello all, hope I'm not kicking a dead horse here. I searched the forum and came up with jack sh*t.

I want to know how to make good fertilizer tea. What kinds of fertilizers go into a good tea? Can any common household items be used in the tea to give a good yield? Can a couple teas, if brewed correctly, give my plants all they need throughout their lives? How do I figure out the N-P-K in the tea? ECT, ECT...

Basically, this is a thread all about teas.
Anyone who uses this method allot, please share your wisdom, for I have none.

 

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crippled1

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Apr 23, 2009

#2

I was just talking to my hydro shop guy about the compost tea they sell. Apparently, the benefit of using it is that it contains a TON of beneficial bacteria and other such critters.

 

diyJunkie

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Apr 23, 2009

#3

^^^Anaerobic bacteria that helps with natural aeration of the medium. I use bokashi.

Other items you can add to your teas are the usual suspects:
kelp
molasses
bat guano
worm castings
fish emulsion

take a look at this wiki link and follow the bokashi link in there
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compost_tea

 

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StonedOwl

Guest

Apr 23, 2009

#4

Thanks junkie, never heard of Bokashi before. I think I'll try something like that.

 

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monkey5

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Premium Member

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Apr 23, 2009

#5

StonedOwl, as far as i know Skunk mag. has the goods with "the Rev"...aka Rolantleroy !! Here is a link:http://skunkmagazine.com/forum/index.php?topic=4937.0.. Hope this helps you out!! For soil ammendments and guano teas the Rev. is the last word. monkey5

 

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Shi-ska-bong

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Apr 22, 2009

Apr 23, 2009

#6

I've got Seagull guano, earthworm castings and molasses, what ratio do you think i should mix them together to get a good tea? Is there such a think as overkill with any of these?

 

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StonedOwl

Guest

Apr 23, 2009

#7

"Anaerobic compost teas"

"These consist of controlled compost extracts made by adding finished, properly prepared compost to water and stirring the mix for 1 - 14 days. This process encourages the loosening of microbes adhering to compost and soil particles so they are transferred into the water itself."

So, making tea (at least this way) is all about getting the microbes in the organic matter to transfer to the water. I think.....I'm a little high.

"If the tea is properly made, it is a mixed concentrate of facultative and aerobic microbes, and presumed non-harmful."

I don't like how he used the word "presumed" right there.
I wonder how long the sun was "presumed" non-harmful?

I think I'm starting to understand tea.
(off to find things for compost pile)


Ohh, and shi-ska-bong, I'm sure overkill is possible with any fertilizer.

 

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Limeygreen

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Sep 7, 2008

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Apr 23, 2009

#8

alfalfa meal, the kind you can get at the feed store for rabbits with some cow shit (composted) or any kind of manure you can get your hands on works really well. The solids work great on the garden outside for amending the soil or just as a supplemental top dressing or if no other choice for the compost bin. A lot of people use guanos, some people use things like nettles and comphrey and make tea only from plants, a so called vegan organic approach. Worm castings is a great way to add bacteria and a soft nitrogen to the tea, if you're using just manure that should be good but guanos you should use something for some bacterias. You need something like molasses for food for the micro herd. Aerated tea will brew faster and supposedly more of the beneficials, the temperature will affect the development rate of the micro herd and you should use cl free water (ie bubbled water for 12-24 hrs or standing water stirred for 1-2 days.) I don't mean I'm an expert but tehre are great resources not only on the farm but on google or whatever your search engine is, do a bunch of reading and ask questions on here if you can't find your answer. In my opinion there is nothing sweeter than smelling a sweet manure tea, just makes me hungry, maybe I'm just weird :D

 

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ShroomGuerilla

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4

Joined

Apr 24, 2009

Apr 26, 2009

#9

I just purchased a wonderful book on this subject.

It is called "Teaming with Microbes"

I am in the midst of using their
Aerated Active Compost Tea....
truly amazing stuff.

 

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chickenn

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Apr 23, 2009

Apr 26, 2009

#10

i use organic teas all the time, and they work really well.

i use composted, chicken manure, cow manure, and worm castings. either one will do miracles for a plant.

for chicken and cow manure, about a qt. to a 5 gallon bucket. bubble for 24- 48 hours. this will activate the micro-life in the tea, and burn off ammonias.

the tea in warmer weather will froth up, like a giant beer. just means you are getting it done, the microbes are alive and growing.

i put my material right in the water, and stir from time to time. funnel into jugs, and pour.

the worm castings, i use as much as a cup a gallon, worm castings are the safest as far as burning goes.

and well composted manures will not burn your plants either. they are high in natural N and have all kinds of micro-nutrients, and minerals, beneficial fungi, and organic life that feeds the roots of the plant.

 

Memorias

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Apr 26, 2009

#11

Hello this is a good thread. if you want good recipes for tea, check out the organic soil sub-form. Farmer Guano has broken it down for us. Some really good stuff there.

 

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StonedOwl

Guest

Apr 28, 2009

#12

Oh, I wonder why that did not come up when I searched the forum? Ah well, this link will take anyone looking for tea info right to it.