someone posted a question a couple of weeks ago regarding compost versus compost tea.
people were talking about soaking bags of compost/manure in buckets of water, and experimenting using this and regular compost plants as an experiment.
i would like to point out that there are two very different types of deomposition (mineralization): aerobic and anaerobic. the difference is presence of oxygen. generally, it is recommended to stick with aerobic (with oxygen) compost, tea or pile. anaerobic compost/tea can be pathogenic (make you sick).
i think if you’re going to experiment, do it with aerobic vs. anaerobic compost/tea. for tea you’ll need air pumps and bubble makers. i haven’t made tea yet, but have read about it. read Teaming With Microbes. also, trees like fungus likes carbon (browns), and veggies like bacteria like nitrogen/sugar (greens). prepare/apply accordingly. still, compost is compost is good. also, landfill compost may contain heavy metals or plastics that plants absorb.
You raise an important point, about the availability of oxygen, and the decomposition process.
The key thing with compost tea that I use, is that it is a by product of my overall compost making, and only takes minutes to make. I wait for the compost to be largely decomposed, and then allow water to pass through it, whilst dissolving many of the valuable nutrients that it contains. The compost doesn’t have to be steeped in water for days, making it sour and anaerobic, which would be detrimental.
Once the tea’s made, the compost that it comes from can continue its process, later to be incorporated within the garden (albeit with some nutrients removed, from the ‘tea’ that was made). As the compost is then able to allow air – and thus oxygen – to enter it, it continues aerobic decomposition.
Obviously someone could steep their compost in water, to make a tea, for as long as they wished, but I follow a fairly quick process, somewhat like making tea, which leaves the compost in good health.
Hope this helps. Good luck! Rob
You raise an important point, about the availability of oxygen, and the decomposition process.
The key thing with compost tea that I use, is that it is a by product of my overall compost making, and only takes minutes to make. I wait for the compost to be largely decomposed, and then allow water to pass through it, whilst dissolving many of the valuable nutrients that it contains. The compost doesn’t have to be steeped in water for days, making it sour and anaerobic, which would be detrimental.
Once the tea’s made, the compost that it comes from can continue its process, later to be incorporated within the garden (albeit with some nutrients removed, from the ‘tea’ that was made). As the compost is then able to allow air – and thus oxygen – to enter it, it continues aerobic decomposition.
Obviously someone could steep their compost in water, to make a tea, for as long as they wished, but I follow a fairly quick process, somewhat like making tea, which leaves the compost in good health.
Hope this helps. Good luck! Rob
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