Re: Tea Time -- Compost Tea, that is

OhioGardener 2/12/2022, 7:41 pm

Hawgwild wrote:I've started a new batch of worm castings tea but not sure how effective it may be with our current temperature range in northwest Louisiana...Low to upper 30's night time and near 70's days.

I added 3 cups worm castings and 3 tablespoons molasses in a 5 gallon bucket outside.

Just checked water temp in the bucket and was 56 degrees. Will probably drop more tonight.

Do you believe the microbes with grow with these current temps? I will move the bucket out in the sun as the day warms..

Probably not much microbial activity - microbes need temps between 60ºF and 75ºF to become active. Are you aerating the compost tea? If not, the water will become anaerobic, and the good microbes cannot survive. Is your soil temp above 60ºF? If not, applying microbe-rich tea will not benefit the soil.

Hawgwild 2/12/2022, 8:37 pm

OhioGardener wrote:
Probably not much microbial activity - microbes need temps between 60ºF and 75ºF to become active. Are you aerating the compost tea? If not, the water will become anaerobic, and the good microbes cannot survive. Is your soil temp above 60ºF? If not, applying microbe-rich tea will not benefit the soil.

Yep...I will aerate the mix soon as I find my aquarium pump. I'm really probably pushing my activity with the casting tea till it does get a little warmer...end of February should be more favorable with temps more moderate. Last average frost day for our area in March 21. Just excited about the things I'm learning about sfg and other things on the forum and wanting to really get started right with my sfg ventures...

Will check soil temps in the morning and thanks for the info..

Scottie

BTW...just finished my second SFG and will post pics in my regional forum area soon and it quits raining.

Hawgwild 2/26/2022, 4:38 pm

Just finished reading a book by Tim Wilson titled: "Compost Tea Making". Was a very interesting book and good read.

Starts off with vermicomposting and instructions on making a 3 layer worm bin from wood.

He then talked about the teas and gave some recipes for compost teas. I was mainly interested in the one for bacterial compost tea using either worm castings or regular compost. Pretty much how we have been doing it but also added a couple of tablespoons of soluble cold water kelp and a teaspoon of fish hydrolysate. When the brew was finished one could add optional EM-1 and mycorrhizal.

Optimal temp for making the tea was 72-75 degrees. Slow microbial activity with water temps lest than 68 degrees. Even gave processing times for the different temps.

I got the book on my tablet through kindle unlimited. Not sure if Amazon carries the book or not in paperback.

There is a bunch of info on his website: Compost Tea Making

Enjoyed the book,
Scottie

goodtogrow 5/1/2022, 6:50 pm

I think I will try making some compost / worm casting tea this year and use it in our SFG. This thread has been a great help - thanks guys!

Especially good to know that the tea and the soil need to both be above 60°F. And that optimal temperatures for making the tea was 72-75°F. Slow microbial activity with water temps less than 68°F.

goodtogrow 5/1/2022, 7:13 pm

One question, though, after reading this document:
https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az1739-2017.pdf
they spend an awful lot of time in it talking about potential "health concerns" of compost tea. Is this really reasonable? It sounds like it's only a potential issue if you don't heat up your compost enough, or if you use unknown sources of composted manure, etc... But, in general, is this something to be concerned about or are they just 'covering their butts', you think?

OhioGardener 5/1/2022, 7:41 pm

goodtogrow wrote:One question, though, after reading this document:
https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az1739-2017.pdf
they spend an awful lot of time in it talking about potential "health concerns" of compost tea. Is this really reasonable?

No, it is not really reasonable. As Abe Lincoln said, don't believe everything you find on the Internet.

The only time there can or will be pathogens in the compost tea is if it is not adequately aerated. If there is proper aeration, the compost tea will be aerobic, with no problems. If the compost tea is not aerated, it will become anaerobic and can contain pathogens. Pathogens need an anaerobic environment to survive.

Same is true of compost as it is for compost tea: If the compost is turned/aerated it will aerobic. If it is allowed to become anaerobic, it can be detrimental to you and the environment.

goodtogrow 5/1/2022, 7:47 pm

Okay, that's good to hear, and a relief.

As Abe Lincoln said, don't believe everything you find on the Internet.

Haha, I like that! And very true. Glad I asked. Wink

Soose 5/2/2022, 3:07 am

OhioGardener wrote:
The only time there can or will be pathogens in the compost tea is if it is not adequately aerated. If there is proper aeration, the compost tea will be aerobic, with no problems. If the compost tea is not aerated, it will become anaerobic and can contain pathogens. Pathogens need an anaerobic environment to survive.

OhioGardener, understood, compost tea has to be aerated. Please tell us about your compost tea setup.

I bought a little submersible pump (don't remember details) thinking it would just need "aeration stones" and some tubing. My better half says it's the wrong type. Back to the drawing board.

OhioGardener 6/3/2023, 7:07 pm

This evening I started the first batch of Compost Tea for this season. Making 25 gallons, which will be enough for both foliar spray and soil drench on all 5 beds. In 24 hours it will be ready to apply to the raised beds. Will do monthly applications until October.

Soose wrote:OhioGardener, understood, compost tea has to be aerated. Please tell us about your compost tea setup.

I build my Compost Tea "Microbulator" using a 35 gallon brine tank free from a water softener dealer, and modeled it after this one:

**sanderson** 6/9/2023, 4:23 pm

Soose wrote:. . .
OhioGardener, understood, compost tea has to be aerated. Please tell us about your compost tea setup.

I bought a little submersible pump (don't remember details) thinking it would just need "aeration stones" and some tubing. My better half says it's the wrong type. Back to the drawing board.

Soose, I bought a small aquarium aerator to make single 5-gallon buckets of compost tea. Here it is bubbling to de-chlorinate the water.

Tea Time -- Compost Tea, that is - Page 2 Compos87

Tea Time -- Compost Tea, that is - Page 2 Compos88

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