Ok so I am trying to make a worm castings tea. Got about 4 gallons of water I left out all night then this morning I put 8 cups fresh(just got them at my farmers market) worm castings, 2 cups of my soil, about 4 or 5 tablespoons sulfur free molasses, and about 5 teaspoons of general organics bio root in a 5 gallon bucket with 2 airstones(2 different pumps going). Started just before 10 this morning and still no foamy crap at the top whatsoever. I know they take up to 2 days to brew but I'm worried because I started it with cold water I messed it up? I have the bucket in my bathtub now which is full of hot water that I keep draining and refilling. Any tips or advice is appreciated.
Too much compost/dirt. You should be using a little under 2 cups total for 4 gallons. Foam doesn't mean your tea is active/inactive in terms of microorganisms. I would stop doing the hot water changing. Unless you're bored. Read some of the material on here already before trying your 2nd brew
I have been reading material on here and every other site for the last week. And that's weird cuz I havnt came across any receipe that says to use that little of worm castings
Wait? So you empty your bucket and refill it with water constantly? So in essence you're continually restarting your brew? Lets consider your first batch lost and start over... What kind of air pump do you have? LPM? N leave out that bottled stuff, it'll do more harm than good. Dont make me explain it because i dont want to waste my time doing that...
No I refill the tub with warm water I havnt changed the bucket water. Idk te lpm they are some old pumps from our fish tank. One is 3watts and one is under 3 watts. The one under let's out way more bubbles
Damn GG Thats not a compost tea that just soaking wet dirt. LOL. I use about half that (1-2 cups) of ewc in the same amount of water. I dont add dirt personally, If I did maybe just a cup would suffice. You dont want to add too much material because its counter productive for oxygenation. I found that out the hard way myself when I went dandelion foraging this spring. I only stir by hand though. So perhaps with pumps its not such a big deal. Dont give up you will get the hang of it... VOO
Lol Ok VD so for my next attempt jus use 2 cups Ewc and just use like 2 tbs of molasses?? My castings arnt from a bag so ty are still hella moist n nasty. The "tea" didn't stink this mornin so i took 2 gallons out to my plants and gave each plant half a gallon. I added a bit of molasses and bio root to each gallon also before watering. Hopefully it doesn't kill them lol. I am guna start another brew probly Friday or Saturday.
2.38% compost: 5 x 2.38% = 0.119 = 1.9 cups = 2 0.50% molasses: 5 X 0.5% = 0.025 = 6.4 tablespoons or 6 tablesoons + 1 teaspoon 0.063% fish hydrolysate: 5 X 0.063% = 0.8 tablesoon or just under a tablespoon 0.063% soft rock phosphate: 5 X 0.063% = 0.8 tablesoon or just under a tablespoon [JUDGEMENT CALL ON SRP due to radioactivity] 0.25% kelpmeal MAX.; 5 X 0.25% = 3.2 tablespoons MAX: Be aware that kelpmeal can slow down brewing time
Probly just goin to do ewc and molasses. The bio root has alfalfa meal, brewers yeast, potassium sulfate, rock phosphate, sea kelp and soybean meal in it but I guess it's a no no. But I'm using dark molasses not blackstrap.
Huh . . . That's news to me. I have one question . . . . Do microbes play any part????? Nope. And bags are worthless, IMO. Unless you have enough air moving and the correct design, you'll probably end up anaerobic in the bag. I'm assuming the OP doesn't.
I have pantyhose with the ewc in them. I would like to know why usin the bottle of general organics bio root is not good for the tea tho?? Trying to learn... Would 2 cups ewc and 5 tablespoons of molasses make a decent tea with lots of microbes if done right??? Thanx everyone
Nope. Microbes have NOTHING to do with decomposition. WTF???? Obviously microbes have pretty much everything to do with decomposition. This is 101 shit. And lets see, hmmm, according to you heat, time aeration and moisture (AKA h2o) have NOTHING to do with composting????? This is NEWS to you? Seriously? If it is then don't even bother chiming in with remarks because you're obviously clueless. These are ESSENTIAL parts of composting. And you really need to look up the definition of botanical tea. Seriously.
AACT or ACT - (actively) airated compost tea. Microbe rich compost with a sugar source and water. Microbial innoculation Compost teas - non airated. Microbe rich compost with a sugar source and water. Stir occasionally. Microbial innoculation Botanical tea - plant material mixed with water. Can be aireated or not. Elements and compounds are both available for uptake. Can be applied foliar or soil drench. FPE - fermented plant extract - plant material mixed with a sugar source and lacto cultures. Elements are readily available for uptake. Usually dilute with water and apply foliar or soil drench. My 2 pennies...
1GG...I would (and do) seriously follow the proportions on microbeorganics.com. The author (MicrobeMan on GC) has done extensive testing to ensure ideal amounts of each component. Near the bottom is a recipe for nutrient cycling. What I did was divide all of those amounts by 50 to get the numbers for one gallon (his original brew is for 50). Then multiply by however many gallons you are making. You will likely need to convert some units of measure. Also, and this is pretty important, you need a bigger pump...at least 20 watts. That is explained on his site as well as here many times. Otherwise you are running the risk of an anaroebic tea, which could harm your plants and certainly would not help. The pumps you want are detailed on the site but will cost you between 50 and 60 unless you get a hell of a deal. PS, don't expect these pumps to be quiet. If you are going stealth, it will not suit your needs. Hope this helps, GM
Be aware that the recipe ingredients are listed in percentage so all you do is muliply the volume you are brewing with by the percentage; eg. 3 gallon brew; 2.38% compost or vermicompost = 3 x 2.38% = 0.07 of a gallon, then go to Online Conversion - Volume Conversion and convert 0.07 gal to cups and you get 1.12 so just a little over a cup. Dead accuracy is not called for and it is not rocket science next ingredient; black strap molasses at 0.50% > 3 x 0.50% = 0.015 gal; use the same site and convert 0.015 gal to tablespoons = 3.84 or around 4 tablespoons and so on for the rest of the ingredients. These percentages are fine for brewers in size from 1 to 250 gallons. Using good quality EWC and black strap molasses produces good results.
Ok I am guna read that. I got some nitrogen bat guano today from one of the hydro stores in town. Npk is 7-3-1. Would it be better I mix it in water or put at the top of my soil b4 watering?