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

["John Dunbar" <jdunbar AT dunbarco.com>]

--Question:Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas about this?  Also, does
anyone (who understands microbiology / ecology) think that there is any
ecological
danger of introducing alien microorganism species from Japan to the US?--

I know a farmer who has used EM on a large scale and I personally have used
EM on a smaller gardens.  People think we have less bugs because we have
added grapefruit, and garlic to the brew.  We really like it.  Smells great.
In fact, I need to get a fresh starter.  EM is more than just the liquid,
there are other adaptations of it too.

On my compost piles I'm also using "Waste Away" which is a microbial brew
from an outfit here in Texas: Chem-X International (800-273-1386).  It
accelerates my composting process.  I've also used EM on the compost.

The Texas outfit also has a liquid microbial product for the gardens which I
bought (N-Texx Soil Activator with Humus) but haven't applied yet, and also
a liquid microbial product for lawns which has 15-5-5 urea fertilizer
included (NTexx 15-5-5 Nutrient Supplement).  I've experimented with that
giving a lawn a boost and it did quite well.  I also put EM on the lawn -
although it did not get the big nitrogen boost of the 15-5-5 urea.

I like the concept of EM better than the other product - because you get to
brew most of it yourself, and feel more in control... and you know for sure
that it is organic.  I really shouldn't be using the 15-5-5 stuff.  The
Texas outfit does not tell you the contents of their liquids.

EM is supposed to have been used extensively in Asia (particularly in Japan
where it originated).  One person I know who is heavy into Permaculture
tried EM but didn't like the idea of introducing microbes from outside his
soil area.  But he might switch back after he saw how our plants are doing.
I'm not a microbiologist so I can't say if EM's microbes are the tiny
version of the Kudzu tragedy.

John