compost teas in gardening...?

[nao57]

So there's a lot of videos on youtube about compost teas. They also show results.

But ... isn't there a cutoff time where you have to stop using them before the vegetable plants actually produce the vegetables? Like it makes sense to use them up until your tomato plants produce tomatoes, while they are in the growth stages... ?

What do you think on this? And what's the adequate cool time you need to give between when you stop using compost teas, and when the fruits sprout?

 

[Chris2018]

So there's a lot of videos on youtube about compost teas. They also show results.

But ... isn't there a cutoff time where you have to stop using them before the vegetable plants actually produce the vegetables? Like it makes sense to use them up until your tomato plants produce tomatoes, while they are in the growth stages... ?

What do you think on this? And what's the adequate cool time you need to give between when you stop using compost teas, and when the fruits sprout?

If you are making a GOOD compost tea it should be able to be added to the soil anytime.

When you break it down there are two basic types of compost tea, Aerobic (the good tea) and Anaerobic (the bad tea). The microbes it will be producing, (is the tea producing Aerobic Bacteria (good Bacteria) or Anaerobic Bacteria (bad Bacteria)) and the amount of Nutrients that will be available is determined by the type of tea you're making.

The quote below is from Ohio State University (OSU) and describes Aerobic Bacteria and Anaerobic Bacteria. Note the bold and underlined information.

"AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC BACTERIA
Most microbes are generally inactive and may only have short burst of soil activity. Soil oxygen levels often determine soil bacteria activity (Dick, W., 2009). Most soil bacteria prefer well-oxygenated soils and are called aerobic bacteria and use the oxygen to decompose most carbon compounds. Examples of aerobic bacteria include the Aerobacter genus which is widely distributed in the soil and actinomycetes bacteria genus Streptomyces which give soil its good “earthy” smell (Lowenfels & Lewis, 2006).

Anaerobic bacteria prefer and some require an environment without oxygen. Anaerobic bacteria are generally found in compacted soil, deep inside soil particles (microsites), and hydric soils where oxygen is limiting. Many pathogenic bacteria prefer anaerobic soil conditions and are known to outcompete or kill off aerobic bacteria in the soil. Many anaerobic bacteria are found in the intestines of animals and are associated with manure and bad smells (Lowenfels & Lewis, 2006). "

Now we know form OSU'S information that most bacteria in soil is Aerobic Bacteria, and that Anerobic Bacteria can be Pathogenic and will outcompete or kill the bacteria that we want in are soil to break down carbons and feed our plants, so we want to brew an Aerobic Compost Tea, one that has air added to it to provide an environment that will produce Aerobic Bacteria.

Most videos on compost tea will show someone simply putting some compost in a bucket with water then mixing it now and then with a stick. This type of tea is an Anaerobic Compost Tea, what very little Aerobic Bacteria and any Aerobic Bacteria that is being produced is being quickly killed off by the Anerobic Bacteria. I will add if there steeping their tea for any less than three weeks, they are getting verry little nutrients out of the tea, just a lot of Anaerobic Bacteria.

Aerobic Compost Teas are created by adding a high amount of air the whole time the tea is being brewed. This constant flow of air will create an environment that will produce much more Aerobic Bacteria, very little if any Anaerobic Bacteria, much more nutrients rich tea and a finished tea in 24 to 48 hours.

An Aerobic Compost Tea can be made with a 5-gallon bucket, a compost tea bag, a decent air pump like the Vivosun commercial 950 GPS air pump with some airline, and compost.

I will also add that there are a few different ways to improve a "basic" compost tea.
Fungal Rich Compost Teas are used in the spring to add Fungal Life to your soil and start breaking down carbon and nutrients.
Compost Tea for growth is a compost tea with an organic fertilizer for growth added example 7-4-4.
Compost Tea for flowering is a compost tea with organic fertilizer for flowers and fruit added example 2-8-6.

There are a few videos on Aerated Compost Tea on You Tube but keep in mind, it may be a "dark path" depending on your beliefs on Medical Cannabis.
I also recommend looking into Seed Sprouted Teas, they can be a real game changer for plant growth.

I do hope this helped some and didn't confuse you even more.

​

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I'll add that maybe you don't want to pour compost tea over your ready to harvest tomatoes, but adding it to the soil the tomato plant is growing in is probably fine.

 

[nao57]

Thank you very much. I'll be looking at this this week thinking about it. I may post some follow up questions on what you said.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Let us know how your experience goes.

Personally, I've always found the stuff to taste terrible, no matter how much sugar I put in it...