Worm compost tea

Here is how I make worm compost tea.
I use it on my plants, like that big giant carrot I grew that was the winner in the boffer and Josh carrot contest that we had this year. Although boffer would have you believe I won because of some excuse about his weather, my weather, whatever....

Anyway take a look at how I make the compost tea, and read the article on the benefits of making it this way, and the benefits of worm compost tea. Then post a reply of what you learned from the article.

Worm Compost Tea

No unsulphured molasses?

Same here, Boff, I used molasses earlier this year. How often do you use your tea Josh?

Do you use distilled water, Josh?

And what was the gizmo you used to stir it all up with?

I made the tea about once a week and used it on plants that I wanted to give a boost too, like the giant carrot. When I made it I would use it all on the plants, the document says the sooner you use the tea after it is brewed, the more effective it is in influencing plant growth and suppressing diseases.

What I use is a fish tank air pump to pump air into the worm tea while it's being brewed. The research document says that the tea needs some form of agitation or aeration if the tea is going to be effective in promoting crop growth and suppressing pest and diseases. worm tea document

I've never used the molasses, this research document another document on compost tea says it's not safe to use. And this document by the USDA Compost Tea Task Force


It does say that compost tea is safe if you just use water and worm compost. And I use bottled water or let the tap water set overnight before I use it.

So what do you think about what the articles say about molasses? Am I reading it right?

Oh my lord! Are you doing that IN YOUR HOUSE!!!

Oh...sorry....my inner mother just came out.

Thanks for sharing Josh! I want to try to do this for next year I think...

I'm giving you a bad time. I'm not getting into what my experts say, as compared to what your experts say. I've read both arguments about using molasses, and I don't have a clue which side is right.

There are similar arguments being made about the best type of water to use, mechanical aeration or not, length of steepage, best compost to use, and just exactly what are the precise benefits.

This backyard gardening thing is generally just a can of worms, as I know you know!

I promise to read this soon Josh...I've been interested in doing this anyway so I'm sure I'll be educated. Thanx.

I'm kind of curious about the need for aeration and agitation in worm compost. Yes, I've read the reports and seen the videos of people insisting on it (at least on leaf/grass based composts), but it seems that the people who drain off the "tea" from the worm compost boxes don't aerate it. In August I bought several bags of worm castings from a commercial worm farmer (he has 600 pails of worms!) and I just poured the castings into my fertilizer spreader, added water and "stirred to dissolve" and then just spread it on my lawn.

This is really cool. I want to start some worms! Do you have any info on how to get started on raising worms?

You are a pretty talented individual to say the least. After I watched your tea vid, I checked out your slide guitar vid. Outstanding!
Also followed the links to some of your pics. Anyone who wears an AC/DC t-shirt is good in my book!! Also followed your QR code off my droid to your "worm tube". Nice dude!

Josh, What is your ratio of water to worm leachate?

Note: I can't get the photo you posted so can't see your set-up for making it but I would think that stirring the tea a few times a day would suffice for the needed aeration.

middlemamma wrote:Oh my lord! Are you doing that IN YOUR HOUSE!!!

Oh...sorry....my inner mother just came out.

It doesn't smell...it doesn't have germs... ...definitely sounds like a mother

I only made the video in the house, we have a building where I make the tea, keep the worms and stuff like that.

squaredeal, the reason for the aeration is to create optimum levels of oxygen for growth and reproduction of beneficial aerobic microorganisms. another document
I'm sure the tea from the drainage is good, there will be some microorganisms alive in that tea.

I tried to find reliable resources, the compost tea task force is a group of professional universities, Doctors, organic growers, and the one document they all reported to is the USDA. Maybe because I'm a school kid, I feel the need to back up everything like in a school report

Quiltbee I made mine by using 1 cup of worm compost to 4 cups of water.

nKedrOoStEr Thanks for all the compliments! You are the first one to say anything about my QR! I finally took it out of my signature.
I do a really simple type worm bin, a plastic tote about 6.00 from the store, some air holes in the top lid. For the bedding I just use shredded damp newspaper. Add some red wiggler worms, and I got mine at the fish bait store, then feed the worms left over scraps of food, anything but meat or grease, (because of the smell and it attracts animals) Make sure they keep moist, when I put the food in, I put newspaper over it, that helps keep any flies or fruit flies from getting in there. There won't be any bad smell if you compost it right, if it starts to smell, your putting to much food in, I always make sure they have cleaned up most of the food before adding more. If you do a search it should bring up some more post from others about worm composting.

Josh, thanks man! I did lots of research today on wormin and will get going on it. Everything I found is pretty much as you say. Thanks!

And by the way, I am a huge android fan Have a rooted Htc Evo, decked out with tweaks and custom rom. And run a rooted Color Nook...running full android Don't know how into droid you are but hey, you had a code. I'm a sucker for a Qr code

nKedrOoStEr wrote:Josh, thanks man! I did lots of research today on wormin and will get going on it. Everything I found is pretty much as you say. Thanks!

this I understand!

nKedrOoStEr wrote:And by the way, I am a huge android fan Have a rooted Htc Evo, decked out with tweaks and custom rom. And run a rooted Color Nook...running full android Don't know how into droid you are but hey, you had a code. I'm a sucker for a Qr code

this, eh, not so much...

camprn wrote:

nKedrOoStEr wrote:Josh, thanks man! I did lots of research today on wormin and will get going on it. Everything I found is pretty much as you say. Thanks!

this I understand!

nKedrOoStEr wrote:And by the way, I am a huge android fan Have a rooted Htc Evo, decked out with tweaks and custom rom. And run a rooted Color Nook...running full android Don't know how into droid you are but hey, you had a code. I'm a sucker for a Qr code

this, eh, not so much...

+1 I hear ya, camp!

Here is a little on Qr code:
http://technicallyeasy.net/2011/09/what-is-a-qr-code/
so basically, if you have a "smart device" like an iphone or android phone
etc. you can load an app that scans Qr code or even bar codes. They come in really handy when shopping as you can scan and price compare, nutrition etc. I am into Weight Watchers and they have apps out that you can scan items and they will tell you how many points are in that food item. Very cool.
Anyway, Josh had one in his signature that I scanned and it takes you right to his "Worm Tube" thread.
So I was just guessing he has an android device...
I am kind of a tech geek I guess...lol.

OK, let's see if this works:

boffer wrote:OK, let's see if this works:

Yea it works boffer! Mrs. Who???

ROFL! That would be Robinson. FIND ONE!!!!

It works! Want me to tell you what it says? I can give you the key points...Robinson and under 30.

Lol!

Must have been posting at the same time. Still, pretty funny

boofer, we can find a place on the web to write qrs but need a smart phone to read them?

genes wrote:boofer, we can find a place on the web to write qrs but need a smart phone to read them?

Yes, you will need a device that can read and scan Qr code.
Most smart devices these days have an app for that

Woo Hoo! Everybody can play now!

If you're like me and mostly use a cell phone for emergencies, you probably don't need a smart phone or that other fancy stuff either.

But, if you want to learn a little bit, read the link that Naked Rooster posted above. I did, then I found this simple site to write my text into the QR I posted above.

If you want to read what I wrote in this QR, copy/paste its URL
https://i.servimg.com/u/f42/14/92/49/47/chart10.png

at this site, where it says "Website URL to QR code image:"
http://blog.qr4.nl/Online-QR-Code_Decoder.aspx

Then you can read what I was teasing Josh about.

It's kinda like having a secret decoder ring!

And if you want to see what Josh has to say in the QR in his sig (not for the feint of heart )

Then copy/paste this:

https://2img.net/h/i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp259/flowerfriend/Joshs%20photos/QR_DroidJoshGreene.png