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

["eddington AT lvcm.com" <eddington AT lvcm.com>]

Hi,

Speaking of sprayers has anybody tried the electrostatic sprayers that 
somehow charges the liquid so it only goes on plants or something?  
What does that charging do to the microorganisms? I have the 
manufacturer name somewhere. They have air blast sprayers on the 
market, but so far the only ones I have found are very expensive, back 
pack sprayers about $500-$800 and larger ones over $5000.  Venturi 
types.  Then our tea would not have to go through pumps.  Great idea to 
test the tea after it has gone through a sprayer.  If anybody has found air 
pump sprayers please let me know.  We have a client that may want us 
to apply tea by helicopters to 8 acres - that will be quite an adventure.  
Will keep you posted.

Laura Peaceful Valley Garden Supply has Nu-Film Spreader-Sticker 
which is OMRI listed - Elaine said it is very messy though, and the 
Therm X70 Yucca Extract which is OMRI listed which is 70% 
concentrated yucca extract, the manufacturer is Cellu-Con at 
559-568-0190 if anybody wants more info.  Elaine says she has seen 
no problems with the Helena Chemical Saponyn, so lets see the data 
Tom finds.

What about the time of applying tea, not between 10AM-3PM because if 
we are applying foliarly then as we spray the tea the UV light rays are 
strongest at that time and the microorganisms can get killed as they fly 
through the air - right?  But soil drenching and putting it through drips 
should be okay - right?  Jerry Twoomy, a rose consultant, at Five Star 
Growers in Watsonville, CA brought up the fact that a couple hours after 
sun up theire are small hairs on the upper side of the leaves that act 
like wicks and are at their peak between 8-9 AM or thereabouts, and 
can take up the nutients for feeding best at that time.  The coating of the 
leaves is our primary concern to outcompete harmful pathogens, but 
nutient uptake is a secondary benefit.  Paul Wagner at SFI NY is 
looking it up in his books, but does anybody have anymore information.
Elaine has told me that the exudates (the things the microorganisms 
make) cause the CO2 level to temporarily raise around the leaf which 
temporarily causes the stomates to open to allow nutrients in also.  Is 
there any peak time of the day this happens?

Carole Eddington

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