Comments on: Compost Tea: Does It Work, or Not? http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2010/02/compost-tea-does-it-work-or-not/ Organic Lawn Care Articles Tue, 27 Jul 2010 03:18:21 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Compost Tea: Resources for Brewing Your Own | Safelawns Daily Post and Q&A Blog http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2010/02/compost-tea-does-it-work-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-15355 Compost Tea: Resources for Brewing Your Own | Safelawns Daily Post and Q&A Blog Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:26:04 +0000 http://www.safelawns.org/blog/?p=820#comment-15355 [...] while many are still mired in the debate about whether compost tea works, or not, the more enlightened conversation these days concerns how, when and where to apply it. We’ll [...] [...] while many are still mired in the debate about whether compost tea works, or not, the more enlightened conversation these days concerns how, when and where to apply it. We’ll [...]

]]> By: Does Compost Tea Work? A View From the Post | Safelawns Daily Post and Q&A Blog http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2010/02/compost-tea-does-it-work-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-9568 Does Compost Tea Work? A View From the Post | Safelawns Daily Post and Q&A Blog Fri, 16 Apr 2010 02:03:22 +0000 http://www.safelawns.org/blog/?p=820#comment-9568 [...] In today’s Post, Adrian, a devout organic gardener himself, tackles the age-old question of whether or not compost tea works: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/13/AR2010041303646.html. It’s a subject matter we’ve tackled many times here in this blog: http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2010/02/compost-tea-does-it-work-or-not/. [...] [...] In today’s Post, Adrian, a devout organic gardener himself, tackles the age-old question of whether or not compost tea works: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/13/AR2010041303646.html. It’s a subject matter we’ve tackled many times here in this blog: http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2010/02/compost-tea-does-it-work-or-not/. [...]

]]> By: Paul Tukey http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2010/02/compost-tea-does-it-work-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-5568 Paul Tukey Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:49:40 +0000 http://www.safelawns.org/blog/?p=820#comment-5568 Great post, Windee! OF COURSE my grandmother knew what she was talking about. Great post, Windee! OF COURSE my grandmother knew what she was talking about.

]]> By: windee http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2010/02/compost-tea-does-it-work-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-5560 windee Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:03:55 +0000 http://www.safelawns.org/blog/?p=820#comment-5560 I moved to western North Carolina four years ago. I make my living as a garden designer and many of my clients houses (mine also) are built on clay subsoil because of the mountain terrain. The first two years I really struggled with not only growing healthy grass but trees shrubs perennials etc. We had applied mountains of mushroom compost but plants were still not responding the way I thought they should. I got inspired by Pauls book and we started making tea on a small scale for my own house and the trouble spots in my clients gardens. Voila, by the end of the season you could visibly see the switch in health of the grass and other plants. Most plants had moved from a state of existence to thriving. Areas that had not responded were treated the next season with excellent results. Grandma knew what she was talking about! Thanks Paul. I moved to western North Carolina four years ago. I make my living as a garden designer and many of my clients houses (mine also) are built on clay subsoil because of the mountain terrain. The first two years I really struggled with not only growing healthy grass but trees shrubs perennials etc. We had applied mountains of mushroom compost but plants were still not responding the way I thought they should. I got inspired by Pauls book and we started making tea on a small scale for my own house and the trouble spots in my clients gardens. Voila, by the end of the season you could visibly see the switch in health of the grass and other plants. Most plants had moved from a state of existence to thriving. Areas that had not responded were treated the next season with excellent results.
Grandma knew what she was talking about!
Thanks Paul.

]]> By: Barefoot James http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2010/02/compost-tea-does-it-work-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-5326 Barefoot James Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:19:37 +0000 http://www.safelawns.org/blog/?p=820#comment-5326 We debate this all the time on lawnsite.com - organic forum. Come on over and learn. AACT is a big part of my toolbox. We use lots or humus/humates from NM, Mycorrhizae, compost top dressings, worm casts, a little kelp/seaweed and thousands of gallons of AACT. My business was built on it and yes it works very well. But I will say CT is just one tool I use and if you continue to use broadcast apps of herbs/pests and fungicides your results will probably not be realized - sort of like a smoker trying to recover from a knee replacement. Needs more time. We debate this all the time on lawnsite.com – organic forum. Come on over and learn. AACT is a big part of my toolbox. We use lots or humus/humates from NM, Mycorrhizae, compost top dressings, worm casts, a little kelp/seaweed and thousands of gallons of AACT. My business was built on it and yes it works very well. But I will say CT is just one tool I use and if you continue to use broadcast apps of herbs/pests and fungicides your results will probably not be realized – sort of like a smoker trying to recover from a knee replacement. Needs more time.

]]> By: Bob Posthuma http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2010/02/compost-tea-does-it-work-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-5105 Bob Posthuma Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:23:26 +0000 http://www.safelawns.org/blog/?p=820#comment-5105 Hi Paul, Have you or any of your readers seen the recent TV segment of "Ask This Old House" where they interviewed the grounds manager of Harvard University? Harvard is very impressed with compost tea, here is a link to the video. http://www.uos.harvard.edu/fmo/landscape/organiclandscaping/landscaping_video.shtml. Hi Paul,

Have you or any of your readers seen the recent TV segment of “Ask This Old House” where they interviewed the grounds manager of Harvard University? Harvard is very impressed with compost tea, here is a link to the video. http://www.uos.harvard.edu/fmo/landscape/organiclandscaping/landscaping_video.shtml.

]]> By: Paul Tukey http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2010/02/compost-tea-does-it-work-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-5096 Paul Tukey Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:16:24 +0000 http://www.safelawns.org/blog/?p=820#comment-5096 Greg, You are absolutely right. The manure tea that my grandmother made on the farm was more of a manure "stew." Professionals now refer to good compost tea as "actively aerated," meaning oxygen has been applied. Teas can also be enhanced with worm castings, kelp, humic acids, biochar . . . all sorts of other amendments. As this thread progresses, my hope is that others will share a few trade "secrets." How about you? Greg,
You are absolutely right. The manure tea that my grandmother made on the farm was more of a manure “stew.” Professionals now refer to good compost tea as “actively aerated,” meaning oxygen has been applied. Teas can also be enhanced with worm castings, kelp, humic acids, biochar . . . all sorts of other amendments. As this thread progresses, my hope is that others will share a few trade “secrets.” How about you?

]]> By: Greg Gutknecht http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2010/02/compost-tea-does-it-work-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-5095 Greg Gutknecht Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:10:36 +0000 http://www.safelawns.org/blog/?p=820#comment-5095 I have been using compost tea in my business for 6 years now. I often wonder why no one else is using it because of the success I have had with it. You mentioned in the beginning of your post about manure tea. I think it would help others to understand that there is a difference between manure tea and compost tea. Highly aerated compost tea is quite different from a manure tea and produces very different results. I think it would help others if you could elaborate a bit more on those differences for us. I have been using compost tea in my business for 6 years now. I often wonder why no one else is using it because of the success I have had with it. You mentioned in the beginning of your post about manure tea. I think it would help others to understand that there is a difference between manure tea and compost tea. Highly aerated compost tea is quite different from a manure tea and produces very different results. I think it would help others if you could elaborate a bit more on those differences for us.

]]> By: Marnie Vyff http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2010/02/compost-tea-does-it-work-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-5084 Marnie Vyff Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:20:45 +0000 http://www.safelawns.org/blog/?p=820#comment-5084 When it comes to growing, healthy, regenerative soil is vital. Organic is the only method of growing that is sustainable. An estimated 10,000 species of microbes, including bacteria, fungi, and nematodes live within a gram of organic soil. The plant eats the nutrients in the soil and all the microbes help replenish the nutrients. Conventional farming practices have, in essence, killed the beneficial life cycle in the soil with the use of pesticides. The pesticides kill the beneficial microbes as well as the pests, and throw off the natural balance. The pests rebound faster with nothing to keep them in check. We then have to use more pesticides, killing the soil even more. Each year, the soil gets more and more depleted rather than richer. We then have to use fertilizers to replace the nutrients. The inorganic firtilizers are derived from petroleum products and the cost is much higher to produce them, than just letting nature do her business. The array of nutrients is not complete either. Its like people living on bread alone. From destroying healthy soil, not regenerating it, and erosion, we now have 25% of the topsoil left in America from before the industrial age. It takes at least three years for soil to get back into its normal nutrient cycles. When it comes to growing, healthy, regenerative soil is vital. Organic is the only method of growing that is sustainable. An estimated 10,000 species of microbes,
including bacteria, fungi, and nematodes live within a gram of organic soil. The plant eats the nutrients in the soil and all the microbes help replenish the nutrients. Conventional farming practices have, in essence, killed the beneficial life cycle in the soil with the use of pesticides. The pesticides kill the beneficial microbes as well as the pests, and throw off the natural balance. The pests rebound faster with nothing to keep them in check. We then have to use more pesticides, killing the soil even more. Each year, the soil gets more and more depleted rather than richer. We then have to use fertilizers to replace the nutrients. The inorganic firtilizers are derived from petroleum products and the cost is much higher to produce them, than just letting nature do her business. The array of nutrients is not complete either. Its like people living on bread alone. From destroying healthy soil, not regenerating it, and erosion, we now have 25% of the topsoil left in America from before the industrial age. It takes at least three years for soil to get back into its normal nutrient cycles.

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