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livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] Compost tea vs compost direct on acre

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Subject: Healthy soil and sustainable growing

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  • From: "John Smith" <mikakigr@gmail.com>
  • To: "Healthy soil and sustainable growing" <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Compost tea vs compost direct on acre
  • Date: Mon, 12 Jun 2006 23:32:23 +0300

Aha, Betsy with the wonderful results, steak as wholesome as fresh salmon (?!) and she sells the stuff. Yes the whole thing struck me as pseudo science as the commercials for soap powder. My understanding is that soil is teaming with trillions of bacteria in any case, so no need to have any added. Like in the larger world we inhabit, if there is more food for the bacteria it will increase in number.  If food levels drop they will die or become spores until such time that food increases. For those who still don't quite get it, just think about the compost heap - we don't have to add special bacteria , fungi, insects etc because all these things are everywhere and are attracted by food becoming available. Nature hates a vacuum and creates  a balance everywhere.
 
I wasn't quite sure about the other idea - spraying the compost tea on the plants and the suggestion that the bacteria would do some good on the surface of the plants.
 
In conclusion the incorporation of the compost in the top layer of the soil would bring about the best results in my book.

 
On 6/12/06, Soilsecrets@aol.com <Soilsecrets@aol.com> wrote:
In a message dated 6/12/2006 9:26:23 A.M. Mountain Standard Time, bob@bnbrew.com writes:
Her demonstration is perhaps one of the most important reports in agriculture in the last few years.   
Bob
 
I'm familiar with Betsy Ross and her compost tea company in Texas.  I would not say that her work or her report that you speak of is even close to being one of the most important reports in agriculture in the last few years.  Since neither compost or the product of compost that we are calling compost tea can contribute the tissues, propagules, spores and vesicles of mycorrhizae along with the helper bacteria, then we cannot say that it's the most important.  I'm not even willing to say that the mycorrhizae is the most important, but it is certainly a great deal more important then compost tea because there are tens of thousands of published studies that demonstrate the benefits once an inoculation is done.  From improving the tolerable limits to drought, improving the uptake of mineral nutrients, improving the uptake of water, improving the tolerance of pathogens, improving the yields of crops, improving the humus formation in soils and reducing the damage done by parasitic nematodes. All these statements can be made legally, can be label approved, are ethical and have research to prove it.   Making your crop or your landscape Mycorrhizal is much more significant than that of Compost Tea!
 
Dr. Michael

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