Questions About My Compost Tea

[Steven Bevan]

Gotta question about my tea, anyone else using Ful-Power and Molasses (among other things) in there compost tea? lmk what you think.. is 5 Tbs of Molasses and 1/4 Cup of Ful-Power a good amount? Or am I over feeding the fungi and bacteria and making them "Lazy" with that amount in a 5 Gallon brew? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Below is my entire tea recipe & possible measurements of each component. All suggestions are welcome especially on my initial question & measurements. Knowledge is power.

Worm Casting 1/2 Cup

Molasses 5 Tbs

Dr Earth Compost 1 Cup

BioAG Full-Power 1/4 cup

SLF 100 2.5 Tsp

Kelp Meal 1/4 Cup

Fish Meal 1/4 Cup

Extream Gardening Azos 2 Tbsp (Top Feed)

Extream Gardening Mykos 2 Tbsp (Top Feed)

 

[Seamaiden]

In my opinion, you're making a nutrient tea. You only need worm castings and a bit of sugar to make a good compost tea, as per Microbeman and his scoping. Everything else you're adding is extraneous to a compost tea.

I would leave out the Azos and Mykos, no need to use up those supplements when you're already culturing those microbes available in the worm castings. Microbeman has stated that kelp meal seems to depress microbial numbers. Fish meal helps here, though. I don't know what SLF 100 is.

 

[eastcoastjoe]

I was gonna say the same thing. I follow microbeman because he does testing and has data to back up what he says. Since I started keeping my teas SIMPLE, meaning just compost and sugars, the tea actually seems more effective.

I would apply those other things on there own and leave them out of the brew

 

[jumpincactus]

Gotta question about my tea, anyone else using Ful-Power and Molasses (among other things) in there compost tea? lmk what you think.. is 5 Tbs of Molasses and 1/4 Cup of Ful-Power a good amount? Or am I over feeding the fungi and bacteria and making them "Lazy" with that amount in a 5 Gallon brew? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Below is my entire tea recipe & possible measurements of each component. All suggestions are welcome especially on my initial question & measurements. Knowledge is power.

Worm Casting 1/2 Cup

Molasses 5 Tbs

Dr Earth Compost 1 Cup

BioAG Full-Power 1/4 cup

SLF 100 2.5 Tsp

Kelp Meal 1/4 Cup

Fish Meal 1/4 Cup

Extream Gardening Azos 2 Tbsp (Top Feed)

Extream Gardening Mykos 2 Tbsp (Top Feed)

Way overkill for the basis of a simple ACT. Seamaiden hit it right on the head. Also as east coast joe stated microbeman really has his shit together on this subject. Check out his site. http://microbeorganics.com/

 

[outwest]

In my opinion, you're making a nutrient tea. You only need worm castings and a bit of sugar to make a good compost tea, as per Microbeman and his scoping. Everything else you're adding is extraneous to a compost tea.

I would leave out the Azos and Mykos, no need to use up those supplements when you're already culturing those microbes available in the worm castings. Microbeman has stated that kelp meal seems to depress microbial numbers. Fish meal helps here, though. I don't know what SLF 100 is.

I was gonna say the same thing. I follow microbeman because he does testing and has data to back up what he says. Since I started keeping my teas SIMPLE, meaning just compost and sugars, the tea actually seems more effective.

I would apply those other things on there own and leave them out of the brew

I'm with you guys. My best brews are the simplest. @Seamaiden interesting to hear your feedback about not supplementing additional fungus/bacteria. Would you say that applies to OG Biowar as well? Been making teas with OGBW, worm poo, and molasses and the plants love it.

outwest

 

[Seamaiden]

I use OGBW separately from worm casting teas, because quite honestly it didn't occur to me. It's been a while since I've done a worm casting tea because I can't always find them locally. Maybe if we can harvest some red wigglers from the AP system I'll be able to put together a bin, but for now, for me, frass is what I've been working with.

Also, I've said this before, but I'll say it again. You don't have to stay married to molasses. Try playing around with other sugars, especially something like malted barley extract. Any unrefined sugars as well. For example, coconut sugar is a good one. Tasty, too!

 

[outwest]

Also, I've said this before, but I'll say it again. You don't have to stay married to molasses. Try playing around with other sugars, especially something like malted barley extract. Any unrefined sugars as well. For example, coconut sugar is a good one. Tasty, too!

I bought a 25lb bag of powdered molasses, so I'll stay married to her for a while longer.

outwest

 

[Blaze]

Also, I've said this before, but I'll say it again. You don't have to stay married to molasses. Try playing around with other sugars, especially something like malted barley extract. Any unrefined sugars as well. For example, coconut sugar is a good one. Tasty, too!

This is very true. I have noticed there is a trend with many of the experts on tea to move away form molasses. Even if you look at Dr. Elaine Ingham's current recipes, they no longer use molasses, and actually recommend not using it at all.

I switched to Bio Max Dual Action from Agro-K for my teas this last year. I see a lot more activity under my microscope than I did with molasses, especially fungi. So I won't be using molasses anymore either, there are better microbial food sources out there in my opinion.

 

[outwest]

I switched to Bio Max Dual Action from Agro-K for my teas this last year.

Just so I'm clear, this is as an alternative to molasses as a food source for your teas, correct?

outwets

 

[pugliese63]

This is very true. I have noticed there is a trend with many of the experts on tea to move away form molasses. Even if you look at Dr. Elaine Ingham's current recipes, they no longer use molasses, and actually recommend not using it at all.

I switched to Bio Max Dual Action from Agro-K for my teas this last year. I see a lot more activity under my microscope than I did with molasses, especially fungi. So I won't be using molasses anymore either, there are better microbial food sources out there in my opinion.

Thanks for that info. Where do you get your BioMax Dual Action? I've looked online but not much luck outside of the manufacturer's web site.

I've used Earth Syrup from Progressive Gardens and like it a lot but would definitely like to give the BioMax a run.

 

[Blaze]

Just so I'm clear, this is as an alternative to molasses as a food source for your teas, correct?

outwets

Correct. You can also use it as a soil drench. I get it at Ag Unlimited, a local agriculture retail suppliers in the Mendocino/Lake/Sonoma/Napa area.

 

[pugliese63]

Another great addition to any compost tea is Sea-90 from
www.seaagri.com
They have several links with good information. The one for compost tea has test results showing the positive effectiveness of sea salt and microbial populations.
I use it in my teas as well as in my nutrient program. I don't have any quantitative method of measuring the overall effectiveness. I will say my plants look better than ever. I know how Tim the microbe man feels about this type of observation.
Another input I've been using for the last couple of years is Fishnure.
www.fishnure.com.
Very inexpensive,loaded with bacteria and clay based. I like the fact that it's taking a waste product and turning it into something beneficial and valuable. Good reading in their blog as well.

 

[Blaze]

So do you use the Sea-90 instead of kelp/seaweed?

 

[pugliese63]

So do you use the Sea-90 instead of kelp/seaweed?

I use both.

 

[Seamaiden]

Another great addition to any compost tea is Sea-90 from
www.seaagri.com
They have several links with good information. The one for compost tea has test results showing the positive effectiveness of sea salt and microbial populations.
I use it in my teas as well as in my nutrient program. I don't have any quantitative method of measuring the overall effectiveness. I will say my plants look better than ever. I know how Tim the microbe man feels about this type of observation.
Another input I've been using for the last couple of years is Fishnure.
www.fishnure.com.
Very inexpensive,loaded with bacteria and clay based. I like the fact that it's taking a waste product and turning it into something beneficial and valuable. Good reading in their blog as well.

Fascinating. I use Sea-90 quite a lot, but have not used directly in teas because I really wasn't sure what the osomotic pressure changes could or would do to microbes. I absolutely eliminated BER from my Solanaceous and prone Cucurbits using Sea-90, and this was after YEARS of adding more and more and MORE Ca, playing with the watering regimen, everything I was reading. Not a single thing suggested adding something like sea salts, or sea water, or even micronutrients. I love this stuff.

So do you use the Sea-90 instead of kelp/seaweed?

I don't think it can be considered a replacement for kelp formulations. It could be considered a replacement for something like Azomite. You remember all the problems I was complaining about a few years ago with the BER destroying so much of our tomato crop, and you may remember suggesting things like watering rings to me as well. You may recall I said that those things weren't working. Sea-90 worked, works and I no longer see BER in my veggies. I currently use it in our AP system at the hydroponic rate with absolutely no ill effects on the plants, and the fish and inverts certainly appreciate it.

 

[G gnome]

I use OGBW separately from worm casting teas, because quite honestly it didn't occur to me. It's been a while since I've done a worm casting tea because I can't always find them locally. Maybe if we can harvest some red wigglers from the AP system I'll be able to put together a bin, but for now, for me, frass is what I've been working with.

Also, I've said this before, but I'll say it again. You don't have to stay married to molasses. Try playing around with other sugars, especially something like malted barley extract. Any unrefined sugars as well. For example, coconut sugar is a good one. Tasty, too!

Agave nectar too

 

[Steven Bevan]

I was gonna say the same thing. I follow microbeman because he does testing and has data to back up what he says. Since I started keeping my teas SIMPLE, meaning just compost and sugars, the tea actually seems more effective.

I would apply those other things on there own and leave them out of the brew

Ok could i add them to the tea after its done brewing so im still able to give them it all in the same feed? And as far as my measurements do they look good? For the molasses worm castings compost fish meal?

 

[eastcoastjoe]

Ok could i add them to the tea after its done brewing so im still able to give them it all in the same feed? And as far as my measurements do they look good? For the molasses worm castings compost fish meal?

me personally, i wouldnt do it, i would just apply them a few days before or after. the kelp, fish meal, mykos and azos, i would apply directly to the soil. i know fish hydrolysate is recomended @ 0.063% of the brew but its too early in the morning for me to do math, im still drinking coffee hehe. i couldnt really say about the fish meal. the fish meal, fish bone and kelp i mix into my soil so its already there.

the measurements look good though, im using roughly 2 cups of compost per 5 gallons and 3-4 oz of blackstrap molasses in my brews, thats it. even aside from what microbe man suggests, i have found through my experience that the more things i have added to my brews the more likely i was to encounter problems. i have played with many different concoctions over the years but at the end of the day, this simple recipe seems to trump everything i have ever tried.

 

[Jimmyp123]

Carbohydrates is the main thing, there is a back and forth on molasses. Microb man states he still uses molasses, despite the controversy. But as long as it has the carbohydrates, not all sugars have as many as others , or as many as molasses. Seamaiden is def on the right track with that

 

[Jimmyp123]

Starch , fiber , and sugar... Are the sources of carbohydrates .... Some sources and better or shall I say just more soluble, or best utilized by the plant