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Tea Article

C

CT Guy

Secret Gardener,

I have no idea. Why are you attempting to adjust the pH at all? I'm guessing you don't need to be applying the tea to seedlings anyway, and even then the pH should not be an issue for the reasons you listed above.
 
S

SecretGardener

Member
CT Guy said:
Secret Gardener,

I have no idea. Why are you attempting to adjust the pH at all? I'm guessing you don't need to be applying the tea to seedlings anyway, and even then the pH should not be an issue for the reasons you listed above.
Click to expand...

Ok I wasn't sure if the pH would be an issue without all of the 'organic safeguards' fully in palce yet :)

Thanks. Sorry for the wise ass post but it is just that I'm running low on herb now and I am starting to sweat! My seedlings should be full blown plants now at almost 1 month old yet they are still at their second node of growth so i'm a little perturbed at not understanding organic growing but I WILL STICK IT OUT AND LEARN...even if it means not having any herb for a while ...sigh
 
C

CT Guy

Hey, no worries, didn't take it like that....sounds like you might want to start a new thread with some photos and let some of the other guys chime in on why you're not getting your expected growth. Good luck!
 
S

Spok

Member
i have a few questions for the tea gurus...

would a regular tea feeding schedule significantly benefit plants in soil with pre-added nutrients(bone,blood,kelp) as opposed to just one soil drench to kickstart the microbes?

also, would it be good or bad to add more than the recommended amount of an ingredient..for example add 2 cups of high p bat guano instead of 2/3 cups per 5 gallons water?

-thanks
 
grapeman

grapeman

Active member
Veteran
Spok said:
i have a few questions for the tea gurus...

would a regular tea feeding schedule significantly benefit plants in soil with pre-added nutrients(bone,blood,kelp) as opposed to just one soil drench to kickstart the microbes?

also, would it be good or bad to add more than the recommended amount of an ingredient..for example add 2 cups of high p bat guano instead of 2/3 cups per 5 gallons water?

-thanks
Click to expand...

1 ) Probably - it depends if the tea is properly made I would think. I use LC#2 & Nute mix #1 and feed a Tea weekly.

2 ) Bad idea.
 
Phedrosbenny

Phedrosbenny

Trying to have a good day
Veteran
Spok said:
i have a few questions for the tea gurus...

would a regular tea feeding schedule significantly benefit plants in soil with pre-added nutrients(bone,blood,kelp) as opposed to just one soil drench to kickstart the microbes?

-thanks
Click to expand...


Yes.Alot of growers do it that way because when the plants soil gets dry Microbe life dies off,atleast some.So they just keep kick starting it back up with something rich in microbes such as compost tea.
 
jaykush

jaykush

dirty black hands
ICMag Donor
Veteran
can you explain why? my guess is the more you add, the more oxygen you need to feed more amounts of microbes...i dunno
Click to expand...

burn the shit out of your plants for one that's for sure. and yea you would need to aerate more.
 
localhero

localhero

Member
whats up tea gurus!

alright my question, has anyone ever kept a perpetual aerated compost tea? if so, how long did you keep it goin for and what percentage of tea would you leave in for the next batch?
 
grapeman

grapeman

Active member
Veteran
Spok said:
can you explain why? my guess is the more you add, the more oxygen you need to feed more amounts of microbes...i dunno
Click to expand...

Whether you are growing in a pot or on a 1,000 acre parcel, adding MORE nutrients then can be processed by a plant's root system will cause imbalances within the plant. Best case, Too much of one nutrient will cause deficiencies of another. Worst case, it will burn your plants.

Manures are particularly inaccurate in regards to their NPK ratios and are not always processed the same from one batch to the other.

Follow the instructions of others who have come before and have taken the bullets (burned or sick plants) for you.
 
Last edited:
S

SecretGardener

Member
Spok said:
i have a few questions for the tea gurus...

would a regular tea feeding schedule significantly benefit plants in soil with pre-added nutrients(bone,blood,kelp) as opposed to just one soil drench to kickstart the microbes?

also, would it be good or bad to add more than the recommended amount of an ingredient..for example add 2 cups of high p bat guano instead of 2/3 cups per 5 gallons water?

-thanks
Click to expand...

Compost tea is good for an amended soil mix. I water with a compost tea EVERY water and the plant is just LOVING it.
Nutrient tea is used lightly with an amended soil (based on need). A nutrient tea is used more often with a soiless mix.

You have to realize there is a difference between COMPOST TEA and NUTRIENT TEA. One has microbes and one has soluble nutrients (meaning plant available as soon as it hits roots its absorbed)

Compost Tea is just that. Some compost, molasses (as food for the microherd) and some humic acid. The end result is a soup of microbes, impossible to burn your plants with this. I think there is even a little bit of soluble N in the solution from the EWC, someone correct me if I am wrong on that.

Nutrient Tea has microbes in it AND soluble nutrients such as P,K and some N. This will burn your plants as Jay pointed out.
 
localhero

localhero

Member
ive burned my plants on nutrient teas. mostly with too much P from the seabird and indonesian guanos. mid way through flower i back off the seabird guano as i dont think the plant still needs as much nitrogen. also due to too much phosphorous feeding in teas, ive had harsh smoke (no flushing) so to be safe i always flush my plants for the last 2 weeks. now my smoke burns clean :D
 
Phedrosbenny

Phedrosbenny

Trying to have a good day
Veteran
O.K. I read this wrong earlier.I read it like you were asking if it was good to feed tea (and weather right or wrong I took that to meen compost tea) to soil that had been ammended with blood meal,bone meal,kelp meal etc..
And I said yes.

I now think I understand that you were asking if it would be good to feed tea regularly with the ammends added to the tea.If thats the case I would say that would depend on what you mean by "regular" and I know sometimes it can be hard to not burn up your plants adding nutrients that dont break down right away.Or even ones that do.I add the amends to the soil and sometimes add kelp meal along with molasses to compost tea and yes I like to bubble my tea for atleast 24 hours.Other than that I use Earth Juice grow,catalyst,and bloom.Along with a very small amount of Gravity in late flower.
 
Microbeman

Microbeman

The Logical Gardener
ICMag Donor
Veteran
This thread I believe is intended to be about compost tea. There is no similarity between compost tea and bird or bat or earth juice or any other bottled nutrient tea.

Compost tea extracts and multiples soil/compost microbes which deliver nutrients to roots of plants by protozoa (mostly flagellates) eating bacteria and extracts & grows fungi to provide food reserves, oxygen, soil aggregation, moisture retention and pathways.
 
Cannasseur

Cannasseur

Member
In the past few weeks, I have had a pretty serious run in with bacterial leaf spot. As a last ditch effort to avoid using a bunch of nasty fungicides, I plan on brewing a tea, adding a bit of Serenade ASO (b. subtilis strain QST 713) and making a few foliar apps in the upcoming weeks. My question is this, when I go about making the tea should I still add EWC for the other microbes? Or will the b. subtilis outcompete or detriment the rest of the microherd in my teas?

Also when I use CT for foliar feeding, should I dilute the solution or will things be fine as is?

Thanks in advance!
 
Microbeman

Microbeman

The Logical Gardener
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Just proceed as usual; add the bacteria at the beginning of the brew and apply non-diluted.
 
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