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The £600 cupa, Bonkers
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Message 1.Â
Posted by kfgray (U14470933) on Sunday, 3rd April 2011
What planet are they on thinking an average gardener will pay £600 for Compost tea kit, I suspect secret pot 3 which Rachel said smelt of fish, was just Fish blood and bone worth a few pounds.
try this 1 pack of fish blood and bone mix with home made comfrey tea and 1 one pack of friendly nematodes. Sprinkle around the garden cost a few pounds.
or I use well rotted manure free, home made compost free, and Azomite a clay based mimeral supplement which has every trace element your plants will ever need .. Seems really to help plants though hard winters -
Message 2
Posted by Colin (U2252951) on Sunday, 3rd April 2011
It's likely just Growmore.
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Message 3
Posted by honestGreengrass (U11104227) on Sunday, 3rd April 2011
I suspect the muck & magic bit is actually a mix of beneficial fungi and micro-organisms. Mycorrhizal fungi, Trichoderma etc...
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Message 4
Posted by Braidman (U11753668) on Sunday, 3rd April 2011
.
Last season I used Root Grow on my greenhouse tomatoes after reading about the amazing results of using it.
I had the weakest plants and the worst tomato crop ever, twenty quid totally wasted!
As far as I am aware Wisley is totally "organic" so why are they using "snake oil chemicals" which they do not or will not say what is in their brew?
It looks like double standards to me! -
Message 5
Posted by Sir Plantalot (U11098143) on Sunday, 3rd April 2011
Wasn't it April 1st on Frday!!
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Message 6
Posted by Obelixx (U2157162) on Sunday, 3rd April 2011
The RHS doe snot claim to be 100% organic. It says it uses sustainable methods whereever possible along with good management to get the best from its gardens. That seems to mean organic where possible but cemicals if necessary.
See here - -
Message 7
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Message 8
All this user's posts have been removed.
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Message 9
Posted by David K (U14115317) on Monday, 4th April 2011
'doe snot'!?...Well it is organic I suppose.
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Message 10
Posted by the cycling gardener (U2350416) on Monday, 4th April 2011
Wasn't it April 1st on Frday!!Â
OMG! Well, if it was an April fool then hats off, I was completely taken in.
Might explain why there was so much scooting around how and why the tea actually worked as that part of the investigation didn't quite stack up. I expect more from the experts as Wisley. -
Message 11
Posted by kfgray (U14470933) on Monday, 4th April 2011
No compost tea is real in a number of forms google and you can see the vague info, but expensive web site kits
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Message 12
Posted by pjgolf (U2469936) on Monday, 4th April 2011
I watched the section on compost teas on Friday night with an open mouth !
I didn`t feel it was particularly well presented and the facts were few and far between. I was especially surprised when Rachel asked the lady what she she was adding to the mixture and she said that she didn`t really know !
I find it difficult to believe that the RHS are using this method without knowing what goes into it !
As a competition pumpkin grower, I have used compost tea for several years and I know the benefits of using it. Basically, compost tea is an aerobic concentrate of beneficial microbes.
Plants produce chemicals which they secrete through their roots. These chemicals are known as exudates. Their prescence attracts and grows beneficial bacteria and fungi which live in the soil and exist on the exudates which the plant secretes. Nematodes and protozoa then feed on these bacteria and the waste products they excrete are in readily available for the plant to absorb as nutrients
What you are doing in effect when adding aerobic compost tea is topping up the beneficial microbes which will eventually feed the plant.
With regard to the cost, I wouldnt fork out £600 either. I made my brewer form an old barrel and plumbing stuff I had in the shed. The only thing I bought was an aquaruim pump.
The recipe I use is as follows : (for a 25 gallon brew)
5 pounds of worm castings
2 tablespoons of molasses
2 tablespoons of fish blood and bone
This brewed for 24 hours
Hope this helps explain a little.
PJ -
Message 13
Posted by SaraFrangipan (U14836221) on Saturday, 9th April 2011
Phew, I thought I was the only one who thought this was a joke.....glad to know I'm not quite mad yet
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Message 14
Posted by Trillium (U2170869) on Saturday, 9th April 2011
Excellent explanation PJ. So aeration is the purpose of the brewing piece, and the high oxygen content is what differentiates it from the liquid extract you get out of the bottom of a composting barrel? Interesting....
I have long held the view that an open, aerated soil is more beneficial to plants than a highly fed soil. Compacted soils (e.g. under weed suppressant fabric) always lead to stunted plants. -
Message 15
Posted by pjgolf (U2469936) on Sunday, 10th April 2011
Hi Trillium. Thanks !
The difference between liquid extracts (and compost mulches for that matter) and aerobic compost tea is that the aerated tea puts microbiology back in the soil. When you make the tea, the aeration process multiplies the bacterial content of the mixture
I mentioned earlier that plant roots produce exudates which attract and feed bacteria. Then, protozoa and nematodes feed on these bacteria. It`s the waste products from these protozoa and nematodes which are in a form that the plant roots can take up as food.
What you are doing in effect, is boosting the microbiology of the soil and helping the plant to feed itself.
I know that some people on here just cringe at the mention of organic gardening but I can say that the use of chemical fertilizers long tem is just about the worst thing you can do to your soil. Chemical fertilizers (especially ones with a high salt content) can seriously harm the soils microbiology and limit it`s ability to care for itself.
OK, I`m steppong off the soapbox
PJ -
Message 16
Posted by Trillium (U2170869) on Sunday, 10th April 2011
It's not a soapbox when your explanation is lucid and logical. It's a rostrum
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Message 17
Posted by pjgolf (U2469936) on Sunday, 10th April 2011
Goodness me. It`s been a while since I was described as logical and lucid !!
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Message 18
Posted by Trillium (U2170869) on Sunday, 10th April 2011
So, now that we've got the aeration bit sussed, what about the ingredients? Why worm casts? I would have thought they were a bit inert - might have guessed at leaf mould myself. I guess the molasses is food for the bacteria (like putting sugar in bread mixes for the yeast). And the FBB to make it a more complete nutrient mix?
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Message 19
Posted by pjgolf (U2469936) on Sunday, 10th April 2011
Worm castings contain a good mix of bacteria. Bacteria exist inside the worms, digesting food and this is present in the castings. It`s not the only stuff you can use by any means. Homemade compost is also very good.
I use molasses because it is a natural form of sugar and you are correct, the FBB is another form of food for the bacteria.
Pete -
Message 20
Posted by Trillium (U2170869) on Sunday, 10th April 2011
Thank you - all makes sense.
So, now I need some kind of aeration thingy that doesn't cost £600! Will google for ideas. A project for next winter though really - not going to have time now that we're hurtling towards summer. -
Message 21
Posted by Pumpkin_Patch_Paul (U14565900) on Sunday, 10th April 2011
Anybody that as done home brewing could knock one of these up, white container,thermostatic heater and a fish pump with a lenth of plastic tube, brew away till your hearts content.
Personaly I am not convinced its neede,the worms in the soil should take care of the everything already just keep feeding them compost.
I do agree about not using chemicals in the garden though and believe me I am no leftie new hippy type.... -
Message 22
Posted by Trillium (U2170869) on Sunday, 10th April 2011
True, but am especially interested as tonic/boost to plants in pots on nursery. Currently using non-organic CRF feed and would like to discontinue, without loss of plant quality so interested to compare.
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Message 23
Posted by pjgolf (U2469936) on Monday, 11th April 2011
Paul, Trillium
I`m really pleased there has been a good discussion on this. Maintaining a healthy soil is something I`m passionate about.
Paul. Fair point. Having lots of earthworms in your garden is good indicator that you have a healthy soil food web. Using compost tea is a way of giving nature a tweak to suit your own needs. As I said before, I grow giant pumpkins and having my soil in great condition is a must. Thats why I use it !
Trillium.
I have some plans for a tea brewer (with pics). Let me know if you want them and I will post a link to my email addy.
Thanks
PJ
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