More howeowners and even farmers are going organic. This is a good thing. Compost tea is one product I often hear people using.
Compost tea makers and formulas are popular and compost tea use has a big following. But how good are they?
While some people swear by them, others and even researches have mixed results.
Through a specific process involving constant aeration, molasses, and other ingredients, compost teas develop an abundance of microorganisms that is poured onto the soil. The idea behind compost tea is these microbes multiply first in a bucket and even more in the soil. Then, this addition benefits plants and stimulates growth. But the benefit of the tea is that it contain live bacteria that usually has no shelf life, therefore, they must be made using specific equipment and must be used immediately once the aerator is turned off or the microbes will die, often within minutes, or it will have little effect.
Important Bedrock Soil Microbiology Truth.
The Environment Selects – This is something that is learned by first year biology students, but is not well-known by most people outside of that.
Microbes that are in the compost tea will only survive if the soil chemistry is precisely what the bacteria need to survive, feed, multiply and grow. Even slight variations in soil chemistry are enough to select some while other bacteria die off.
Is the idea of compost tea or soil microbes an interest to you? For detailed information on Microorganisms in Soil please Click Here.