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Subject: Compost Teas: 24 hour, EM, IM, BD & fermented plant extracts

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  • From: "eddington AT lvcm.com" <eddington AT lvcm.com>
  • To: "Compostteas AT lists.ibiblio.org" <Compostteas AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Compostteas] humic, molasses, sugar threshholds
  • Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2002 09:33:32 -0400

Hi to all,

In an interview by Graeme Sait with Arden Anderson there is a
discussion of levels of humates, humic acids, sugars, and molasses.
I did some calculations to see how much of each I put in tea and then
how many applications per season and at what dilution rate to see if
they stayed within the safe levels. Are there any other thresholds
anyone uses as guidelines? Are these okay to use Elaine?

Summary
dry humates - 1 ton/acre/season (dependent on soil type) okay
dry humates - if biologicals used reduce this ton/acre/season
humic acids - 10-15 litres (2.6-3.9 gallons)/acre/seaon okay
humic acids - 25+ litres (65 gallons/acre/season disastrous)
molasses - 10 litres (2.6 gallons)/acre/seaon okay
molasses - 20-30 litres (5-7.5 gallons/acre/season dangersous)
molasses - - 80 litres (20.8 gallons/acre/season disastrous)
sugars - 9 kg (19.8 poungs)/acre/season

Interview
Graeme: I’d like to ask a question for my own benefit and for our clients
and readers. We have had tremendous results with humates and
humic acid, and I’m aware that it is possible to use too much of a good
thing with these materials. However, I have never understood why this
is the case. What are the negatives associated with overuse?

Arden:

Humates
Well, there is obviously a variation between requirements for different
soil types. In some soils dry humates can be applied at up to a tonne
per acre. It must be remembered these are a slow-release source of
humic acids. If the release pattern is magnified with biologicals, then
the maximum allowable application is reduced accordingly.

Humic Acids
Humic acids, on the other hand, are much more available. We find that
we can achieve great results with up to 10 to 15 litres per hectare per
season. However, if we go beyond 25 litres per hectare per season,
then we start seeing decreased yields. We start seeing nutrients going
out of solution. They begin to become tied up. We also start to see a
decrease in our biology in the soil, because a little is good, but a lot
can be disastrous.

Molasses
It’s like using sugar or molasses in the soil. It can be a very productive
additive, but it can be easily overdone. We also use about 10 litres of
molasses per acre, but, if we start using 20 to 30 litres per acre, we are
in the danger zone. 80 litres per acre, for example, can be disastrous.
We start getting decreased biology and even fermentation, and the
associated production of alcohols, which are not good. We start
precipitating calcium when we get alcohol and we can start the
process of sterilisation.

Sugars
As far as sugars go- we are looking at 9 kg per season per acre - when
we cross this threshold, we start seeing a reversal in our benefits.

Graeme: Is there any difference between white sugar and raw sugar?

Arden: As a rule it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference. It makes
more of a difference, in some cases, whether you are using sugar or
molasses. If you have a high iron content, you should be careful of
molasses because of its iron content. There are some biological
products that shouldn’t be mixed with molasses because of the risk of
unwanted fermentation. There are others that thrive in the presence of
molasses. Sucrose is the primary carbohydrate in both sugar and
molasses. The difference is that there are other minerals present in
molasses.

Carole Eddington






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  • [Compostteas] humic, molasses, sugar threshholds, eddington AT lvcm.com, 06/27/2002

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