Quote:
Originally Posted by MileHighGuy
You are correct about the softwood bio-char being usable.... but NOT just as well. On the bag, when purchasing barbeque charcoal in place of making your own, you should look for the product without additives.... and.... it happens to usually say 100% hardwood.
Compost tea is great when done simple and properly and especially with the use of a microscope to verify the production of bacteria and protozoa etc.
I do use a microscope, test each and every batch
Most people are not using enough air and are creating an anaerobic tea that is hardly as beneficial as it should be. If you're using an aquarium pump, you're doing it wrong.
Not a problem, use a big air pump. No problem with anaerobic tea.
PH? I get that it is important, but this should really be the least of your concerns. When growing properly and without the use of chemical fertilizer you should have no concern for ph. The plant will control the PH of the environment around it's roots called the Rizosphere.
Can't agree with this statement. If the Ph is off, then you can't grow good plants, just not possible.
How are you making your compost tea?
Worm casts from my worm farm, compost, home grown and well produced. Using an air lift in a 5 gallon pail, brewed for at least 36 hours.
Was your soil once viable with lower PH and now it is not? or has it always been off and you are simply attempting to correct it with compost tea alone?
It has been off for some time. I was assured Compost Tea would correct the problem. But that's not the case as the Ph is always above 7.5
Are you using chemical fertilizers?
No. Strictly organic.
What else have you added to your soil?
Well rotted Horse manure, Well rotted sawdust and compost generated in house.
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I will add one thing in favour of Compost Tea, it makes an incredible insecticide. Since starting Tea I don't have any insect problems, of any sort.
I have just read an article on Citric Acid, seems harmless enough so am going to give it a whirl, should lower the Ph enough to grow Tomatoes.