compost tea

[Pete]

Going organic, making compost tea for solution, from yard waste, plantain leaves, kitchen scraps, growing peppers, herbs, cukes.... tight budget, should this work?

ebb/flo, can plants be spaced tighter than seed pack recommendations

[GpsFrontier]

Originally Posted by Pete

Going organic, making compost tea for solution, from yard waste, plantain leaves, kitchen scraps, growing peppers, herbs, cukes.... tight budget, should this work?

ebb/flo, can plants be spaced tighter than seed pack recommendations

Growing plants in compost in a hydroponic system is not recommended. Compost is great for plants planted in the ground and in pots but not for hydroponics. "Hydroponics" simply means growing without soil. Compost is a nutrient rich soil. You will wind up with nutrient problems, not to mention that the compost partials are so small they will wash away into your nutrient solution and clog your pump.

Plants in any type of hydroponic system can be placed close together especially while young/small, but you need to keep in mind the size of the full grown plant and allow the plant the space to grow. Hydroponic plants generally grow faster and sometimes larger than plants in soil when given the right conditions.

[Luches]

Naaaahhh... what Pete is talking about, is TEA from compost. Actually a liquid extract from compost or fermented plant residues, It can be improved and purified by mechanical recirculation and aeration as well.

Well, I have been interested in it too but it is a rather inexact science, compared to what I use to do. It's hard to tell the general and NPK composition and hence how to use and dose it. Also, due to some "polluants" and unsolved components, it's difficult to measure in concentration (EC or PPM).

Another disadvantage is that most Nitrogen content is not directly available and needs to decompose first (unless it's highly fermented) - and this is only possible if you use a setup with lots of media (coconut choir for example) that allows bacterial activity. You may use it in specially designed setups that work like the ones in Aquaponics (processed excrements from fish tanks provide the nutrients). You can always try it on a experimental base with salads and other leafy low feeders.

Still, if you do not know the basics of its use and handling - you're looking for green trouble only!

PS: Pete, how's the monsoon doing in Belize? Guess we've got a El Niño this year...

[GpsFrontier]

I hadn't heard of that process before, makeing liquid nutrients from compost. It is an interesting concept although without the right lab equipment I would think it would be just about imposable to tell if it was a complete nutrient solution. That is, knowing if it has all the required elements and/or in the proper proportions. Because of all the variables I would think it would be be just about imposable to duplicate time and time again also, even with the right lab equipment. Though if you were able to isolate each element and tell their exact concentrations it would be reasonable to add the missing or lacking elements and dilute the over concentrated ones. But I cant really see it as being cost effective.

[Luches]

Well, there are ways of knowing though. There are existing analyses of plants, you can get (or deduce) data from.

Examples for NPK:
Potatoe Vines (dried): 0.6/0.16/1.6
Soybean Hay: 1.5-3.0/0/1.2-2.3
Orange Skins: 0/3.0/27.0

Banana Residues (ash): 1.75/0.75/0.5

Apple Leaves: 1.0/0.15/0.4
Coffee Grounds: 2.0/0.36/0.67
Grapefruit Skins (ash): 0/3.6/30.6

There are ways to get to it, but it's not an easy task.
The easiest and most useful application of compost tea in my opinion is the use as complementary foliar spray.

I always and only use self made nutrients (based on commonly used raw materials) and they are extremely cost effective with around 3-4 US$ per 1000 Liter of solution. And with self calculated and tested formulas, I have exactly what I want and need. A batch of 8 Liter of concentrate (lasting for 1000-1200 Liter of solution) takes me 1 hour of work, preps and cleaning included.

[GpsFrontier]

Originally Posted by Luches

I always and only use self made nutrients (based on commonly used raw materials) and they are extremely cost effective with around 3-4 US$ per 1000 Liter of solution. And with self calculated and tested formulas, I have exactly what I want and need. A batch of 8 Liter of concentrate (lasting for 1000-1200 Liter of solution) takes me 1 hour of work, preps and cleaning included.

I think I read in another post that you have been making your own nutrient concentrates for a while now but it takes a lot of technical information to know what you are doing. So far I know that there are over twenty elements are needed for a plant to grow and that carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are absorbed from the air and water. I am also aware that the nutrients used to make hydroponic nutrient solution's need to be water soluble so the plants can drink them up, but I don't know much else on the subject.

I am hoping to have a hydroponic farm growing produce for the local area some day in the future, and would find making my own nutrient concentrates quite useful if it is as cost effective for me as it is for you. I was hoping that you may have some tips on the subject, and maybe even be able to tell me where I can get the information I need to learn the right way to make my own as well?

[Luches]

Originally Posted by GpsFrontier

I was hoping that you may have some tips on the subject, and maybe even be able to tell me where I can get the information I need to learn the right way to make my own as well?

Hi again,
I have been thinking a while of how I could help you best, before answering your question and pointing you in the right direction. Well, let me give you (and others) some basic hints and directions first:

1. There is very specific knowledge needed to be able to make your own and decent (if not perfect) nutrients. Hence, to not get overwhelmed, - give preference to first things first.

2. Do not try to reinvent the wheel (so to speak), but rely on what has been used, found and tested so far. This mostly concerns raw materials and all ingredients that are needed. Nutrient manufacturing is a exact science and there is not very much room for creativity.

3. Get familiar with Gram and Liter units and understand that 1 PPM = 1 Milligram per Liter. This is the unit which is used for Nutrient Formulas.

3A. Do not mix-up NPK formulas with formulas that are expressed in PPM. While NPK is a industrial standard that does not respect molecular wight for P and K (as in K=28 - PPM instead (as in K= 280 PPM) is always actual content. Hence industrial (manufacturers') NPK formulas, if used or copied, need to be converted first!

4. Before getting started check local availability and prices of the needed ingredients. Here's a list of common raw materials:

Source of Makronutrients

Calcium nitrate
Diammonium phosphate
Magnesium sulphate
Monoammonium phosphate
Potassium phosphate Mono
Potassuim nitrate
Potassium sulphate

In Bold the ones you need by all means.

Source of Micro nutrients (trace elements)

EDTA Iron Chelate Fe
Boric Acid- Powder B
Manganese Sulfate Mn
Zinc Sulfate Zn
Copper Sulfate Cu
Sodium Molybdate Mo

5. With these ingredients at your disposal, some good instructions and a ready to go (normally 2 component based) recipe, anyone should be able to mix his/her own nutrients. All you need is some kitchen tools a accurate scale (preferably precision = 0.1 Gr) a few Liters of hot water and basic protection, like rubber gloves and protection glasses.

6. You still not close to understanding what you are actually doing, and how to optimize formulas. But well.... there's no overnight sensation to expect here.

Think about these basics requirements and needs!
If it sounds Ok and intelligible so far, you might be ready for the next step!
But if you feel already overwhelmed by these basics and things, - I guess you should not go for it yet.

Here's how it looks before I start to work

[Amigatec]

I make my own Compost tea for use with growing Giant Pumpkins in soil. Here is how I make it.
Compost tea Brewer

I use worm castings, alfalfa pellets, and mollassas in the mix, I sometimes add other goodies to it as well.

[txice]

Nice presentation and nice setup Amigatec.

[Amigatec]

But the secret is to balance your soil first. CT is made to improve on the microbial activity in the soil. I try to grow as organic as i can with my pumpkins.