So I've never made a tea before but I've decided to give it a try. But I only know I need a bucket, an air pump and an air stone. My question is how big of a pump do I need and what should I add to the tea? I have crab meal, kelp meal, and alfalfa meal. And I'm gonna go get some ewc and black strap molasses. Also what kind of molasses should I get?
I think it would be better and far easier to take the EWC, kelp, crab, and alfalfa and mix them up with some added perlite or something for aeration. then spread this on the surface as a top dressing. then take your molasses at 2 tablespoons per gallon and water that into the topdressing. now the brewing part is happening in the soil. you don't need molasses but I like to use it. you just need an unsulphured molasses like Grandma's brand.
I appreciate the help but I plan on top dressing and watering with the tea just to boost it. Even if science doesn't back it up I feel like it can't hurt so I still need a tea recipe
nothing wrong with them and I know there is some that don't speak kindly towards them but if you really want to learn about how to make a compost tea, then read www.microbeorganics.com which will have recipes and info on air pumps.
The "nute" mentality, as well as the whole "home gardening/flower gardening" idea is that you must "feed" a plant. This is wrong. Plants get nutrients from bacteria, which comes from organic matter in the soil. This way, the plant takes what it needs. A tea, as you say, is simply food for this bacteria. Top dressing is essentially a natural way to feed the bacteria. Look at what happens to duff in the forest. Leaves, twigs, dead plants, etc fall to the floor. Bacteria/fungi do the rest. Bingo, by topdressing, you are recreating natural means. Hope this helps. Lu
Why not do both for the win. A good top dress to add some nutrients and a good bacterial and fungal tea along with it to really get things moving.
Hey you didn't ever do it you said? You can take anything you want because you need to learn. One thing keep in mind man can learn through mistake. So don't worry start now. LOL!
Reading something and real life application of what you read is not as easy as it sounds. Compost tea is about building microbiology, nutrient teas are about feeding the plant, top dressing ewc/amendments is about feeding the soil. Most think that you should feed the soil and not the plant. Compost tea to me is for starting things out, cooking soil, and not something you give them on a normal basis. There is no need to. If you don't dry out the soil and it stays relatively moist, your humus content in your base soil and top dressing will give the same results. I love an ewc slurry top dressed then watered in. So much easier than brewing tea and cleaning brewers. Throw some malted barley flour in that and I dare say, would supersede teas. Reading that website I posted earlier and lucidd's post should explain how compost tea works.
I wasn't arguing and I read the article and decided to just top dress and put 2 tbs black strap molasses per gallon in the water
I just assumed you didn't have time. It's kinda long lol. I read articles days later when I have time to sit and focus. It's a big subject I'm still digesting. I read a lot and have problems. Everyone has problems. Reading just better prepared you for them but won't stop them from happening. Maybe just less.
for air pump in a 5 gallon bucket look into maybe this size pump.. http://www.amazon.com/EcoPlus-Commercial-Hydroponic-Aquarium-Pump/dp/B004LOX6H0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1435860708&sr=8-3&keywords=eco+air+pump id plug two of the 4 outlets use one air stone http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MT718Z8?psc=1 and one open tube no stone.. for recipes it depends on what you are trying to accomplish.. hope this answers some of the questions you asked.. like right now I am bubbling just kelp meal by itself to foliar spray onto my plants..