Seamaiden
Living dead girl
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Just to be clear, it's not possible to accurately measure ppm's of organic molecules without very expensive equipment. I've questioned some friends of mine whose areas of expertise lie along these lines (I didn't want to tell them why I wanted to measure organic compounds, just that I wanted to do this). It ended up being a two or three page thread on the subject and basically what I learned was that, outside of having access to a very well-stocked and equipped laboratory, you're not going to be able to measure ppm's of organic molecules accurately.
So, he may be measuring/metering, but it's not accurate in any true sense of the word. The solution's pH can be monitored and measured accurately, as that's a measure of hydrogen ions. Solution density of organic molecules, not so much. Frustrating as HELL, because I would really like to be able to quantify and qualify what I'm doing when I use organics.
I would also like to get myself a decent used microscope, because I want to be able to do what that poster did and take counts of organisms, see how well me teas are working and doing, what they're populated with, etc. I think I'd probably need a decent microbe ID book to go along with the scope, wouldn't I? Yeah... that would be helpful, and probably expensive.
Finish the book! You'll be glad you did. And then, if you're like me, you'll be wanting something a little more chewy and informative.
Worm castings are going to become your new best friend, they're one of my best friends! As for less expensive sources of microbes, these aren't liquid products, but two companies--Gardener & Bloom and Dr. Earth--make dry pre-mixed organic ferts that are inoculated with bennies. Gardener & Bloom also makes a line of soils and soil amendments, and one of my favorites (need to get more for this year's veggie and OD season) is their Harvest Supreme. I am positive you can use that stuff to make teas, they will be fungally dominated, but that's not proved a problem for me. I use it to top-dress and reinoculate our garden soils, as well as a compost starter.
So, he may be measuring/metering, but it's not accurate in any true sense of the word. The solution's pH can be monitored and measured accurately, as that's a measure of hydrogen ions. Solution density of organic molecules, not so much. Frustrating as HELL, because I would really like to be able to quantify and qualify what I'm doing when I use organics.
I would also like to get myself a decent used microscope, because I want to be able to do what that poster did and take counts of organisms, see how well me teas are working and doing, what they're populated with, etc. I think I'd probably need a decent microbe ID book to go along with the scope, wouldn't I? Yeah... that would be helpful, and probably expensive.
Finish the book! You'll be glad you did. And then, if you're like me, you'll be wanting something a little more chewy and informative.
Worm castings are going to become your new best friend, they're one of my best friends! As for less expensive sources of microbes, these aren't liquid products, but two companies--Gardener & Bloom and Dr. Earth--make dry pre-mixed organic ferts that are inoculated with bennies. Gardener & Bloom also makes a line of soils and soil amendments, and one of my favorites (need to get more for this year's veggie and OD season) is their Harvest Supreme. I am positive you can use that stuff to make teas, they will be fungally dominated, but that's not proved a problem for me. I use it to top-dress and reinoculate our garden soils, as well as a compost starter.
