Testing your Compost Tea Applicator(s), Pumps and Sprayers
Testing your Compost Tea Applicator, Pump and Sprayers is easy and can be done in a few moments. Micro organisms can be blended and killed when tea is applied on plants or leaves by using pumps. It’s important to have the right pump and nozzles or you will kill everything you grew. There are three places where [...]
Green Tea from Comfrey Or Other Leaves – IPM Control – Foiloir Layer Biology
Green Tea from Comfrey Or Other Leaves is an IPM Control for the Foiloir Layer Biology. Compost tea can be made out of leaves as well. It is not called compost tea, but green tea. It is used as a pest management for leaves. This method suppresses leave pathogenic problems. Fungi and bacteria issues. Link: For [...]
Pump Batteries
The battery is the last thing people think about. In this case, I have used an 11 amp-hour 12 volt sealed lead-acid battery. It is strapped to the bottom of the applicator using Velcro bought from the local fabric store. It is recharged once a month. I used a cheap motorcycle battery charger. Any 12 [...]
Compost Extractor Attachements
I found a need to have three attachments to apply Teas and Extractions to everywhere. In the picture below, there is a normal chemical sprayer tip. Very thin Compost Tea will pass through it, but it normally gets plugged up with something. The center of the nozzle had to be clipped off with a pair [...]
Setting up the Right Hose
The hose and nozzle cannot destroy the micro-biology as it passes through. In this case, I have used a typical chemical pump up sprayer nozzle. This can be bought in any hardware store. You can buy the parts separate from the whole applicator. A 3/8 inch clear hose is used between the pump [...]
Choosing the Right Pumps
The best and cheapest pump for this application is a diaphragm pump. This is a positive displacement pump with a chamber that does not grind up the micro-organisms. A positive displacement pump causes a fluid to move by trapping a fixed amount of it then forcing (displacing) that trapped volume into the discharge pipe. Here [...]
Cavitaion Solutions
Cavitation is the formation of gas bubbles of a flowing liquid in a region where the pressure of the liquid falls below its vapor pressure or in this case (0 psi). When a pump creates cavitation, it destroys the micro-organism by allowing the internal pressure of single cell organism to explode the through the cell [...]
Building your own Applicator
The 5 gallon bucket sits on top of the applicator. Use the compost bag to wash the organisms off the compost. Add the appropriate foods and you are off to the races. The pump is located under the bucket. It is self contained. The pump is connected to the bucket by a hose at the [...]
How to Make a Compost Extraction
The easiest way to extract compost is to use a 400 um threaded nylon bag. You can buy them in any hydroponic store for about $47. Or you can make it yourself with a serger. A serger is sometimes called an overlock or babylock sewing machine. It’s a sewing machine that overcasts the raw edges [...]
Cleaning Equipment
Hydrogen Peroxide. This is used for killing everything. It is very important not to let any compost, extract or tea go anaerobic. This means equipment has to be very clean. If I feel I can eat off it, it is clean enough. If the equipment is not cleaned right after use, it starts to grow [...]
Growing Fungi for Compost Extractions
Below is ground up oatmeal. This does not work in extractions but is used for pre-germinating fungi spores in your compost. A few days before doing your extraction, place a cup or two mixed in your compost. Make sure it is 50% moist with waterand then let it set. It is best of the ambient [...]
Food for Protists for Compost Extractions
This is ground up kelp. It is used for feeding protists. This means it feeds amebas and all sort of single cell organisms. For a 5 gallon extraction, you only need about 1/2 cup. This product is good because it does not plug up your application equipment. This product can be found in any general [...]
Bacteria Food for Compost Extractions
Ground up fish bone meal is not really meant to put into a compost extraction, but to place a cup or so in your compost a week or so before extracting. This bone meal is good for growing bacteria because all of the oils have been removed. This product can be found in any general [...]
Native Plant Compost Extractions/Teas, Schedules & Recipes
When first establishing a plant border for the first time, you need to know the requirements of the plant you are using. You also need to know the soil F:B (Fungi to Bacteria. General rule of thumb, keep the F:B ration to 1:1) ratio for the plant and the existing soil. The type of foods [...]
Orchard Compost Extractions/Teas, Schedules & Recipes
When first establishing an orchard for the first time, fruit trees are generally require very fungal dominated soil. This is expressed as soil F:B (Fungi to Bacteria. General rule of thumb, keep the F:B ration to 100:1) ratio for the plant and the existing soil. The type of foods added to the Extract depends if [...]
Lawn/Turf Compost Extractions/Teas, Schedules & Recipes
When first establishing turf for the first time, you need to know the requirements of the plant you are using. It is always best to put down compost before starting a lawn. This gives the lawn a chance to take hold. For Information on making Compost for the beginner – Videos, Click here You also [...]
Compost Extraction
Extraction is only used when very little compost is available. Compost is placed in a fine meshed bag and agitated in a bucket of water. The micro organisms are washed off the organic material and end up in the water. Food supplements are added to the extracted organisms and then are delivered to the garden/soil [...]