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

["Jeff Lowenfels" <jeff AT gardener.com>]

I am desperately seeking fungi and know that most of you are as well.

You can tell I just got back a report for what was really a humic acid based
tea ie that was my food source--2 kinds, and some kelp and some Aloe. These
are all fungal foods. O.K. I know my compost is admittedly notoriously low
in fungi at times. However, I get great bacteria, but low fungi and this has
to stop! I want to be able to manipulate the soil foodweb a bit and not be
limited to bacteria or balanced teas.

Others have expressed fungal frustrations as well. And, I have never heard
of anyone with a problem producing bacterial teas.

So I ask two questions to the group.

First, what has worked to increase fungi in your teas?

Second, what have people tested? Anyone tried JUST EQUISTUM or JUST BANANA
PEELS or SHREDDED WHEAT?  or just worm castings or just peanut butter?  We
clearly have tested the major fungal components of compost because what goes
in is what comes out, but is there something else out there which does for
fungi what molassas does for bacteria?  If there is, let's perfect it
quickly.

Comments PLEASE!~

Cheers,

Jeff





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