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

["Soil Foodweb, Inc." <info AT soilfoodweb.com>]

I just wanted to confirm what Jeff L. said about the Alaska Giant 1 gallon
machines.  We've tested the 1 gallon machine several times, and it gets 
bacterial
biomass in the 600 to 1500 micrograms biomass range, and fungal biomass from 
1.5 to
15 micrograms range.  You need to add fungal foods, of course, and John's 
starter
mix contains a good set, as well as the APC usually having great fungal 
biomass
(some variability there, however, as in any compost).

We haven't tested the 5 gallon machine that I'm aware.  Maybe John and Jeff 
could
let me know if some of the tests they sent in for testing were from the 5 
gallon tea
maker?

But these small size tea makers do make great gifts!

The Keep It Simple machines are just about ready to go to market.  They have 
been
searching for a good quality, long-lasting air pump and have finally found 
one, I
believe.  So, stay tuned!

I described a 5 gallon tea maker - home made variety - in Fine Gardening a 
year and
a half ago.

But, shown-to-make-good-tea, commercially available machines are typically 
better
than making your own, because the commercial machines HAVE BEEN TESTED, and 
you know
that they can make good tea.  When you encounter a problem with getting good
biology, you know it isn't the machine design.  You know it's the compost, or 
the
lack of cleaning, or something you put in the recipe that is causing the 
problem.

Those seem to be the big problems, and it makes things much simpler learning 
how to
make good tea if you know you have a machine that CAN make good tea.

The EPM machines (100 and 500 gal sizes, which are not home-owner sizes, I 
know),
Hendrikus Schraven Organics GSI 25 gal machine, EarthFirst machines (35 and 
85 gal
machines), the Alaska Giant machines (1 gallon has been tested but not the 5
gallon), the smaller Sottilo machines (35 to 100 gallon sizes), the Compara 
machine
(available only in Europe, 100 liter), and a few machines that have yet to be
released commercially, have been tested and shown to be able to extract the
organisms, keep them aerated and happy.  These are the only ones documented 
to make
good tea that I know about.

The Dodges at Ariadne Gardens in Portland are making a cute little 15 gallon
machine, which on the couple of tests we've run is making good tea, given the 
use of
good compost.

If I've forgotten anyone, please remind me.  I'm always happy to talk about 
any of
the machines I left out, on a one-to-one basis, to discuss why they have not
achieved the "good tea" rating.

Good tea has to extract adequate organisms (that's bacteria, fungi, protozoa 
and
nematodes), keep the tea aerobic, and keep the aerobic organisms alive and 
active.

The basis for this rating is that this is what gives you the organisms that 
compete
with disease-causing organisms for foods, space, and infection sites on plant
surfaces, these organisms retain nutrients, and cycle them to the plant at 
rates
plants need, they form soil strucutre, and thus improve water holding in your 
soil,
reducing the need to water in the dry summer and reduce compaction (and thus 
reduce
lack of air around the roots of your plants).

Inadequate organisms?  Then all of the above benefits will not be adequately
improved in your soil or on your plant surfaces.

It is the organisms we're after.  The "good guy" organisms.  Please, keep 
that in
mind.

Elaine Ingham