Compost Tea Opinions Wanted

[hangin'witthepeeps]

Okay I made some compost tea. I was doing really well with it, but I kind of forgot to dump the 35 gallon trashcan and it rained a lot. I just stirred it up and added it to the garden. Some of my plants aren't doing well, mostly it's the young ones. Is there a rule of thumb on how long I can keep compost tea before starting a new batch?

What can I do with this batch? I want to put it on the grass around my garden fence, but what if it doesn't kill the grass, just fertilizes it. I don't want to risk putting it on my plants again.

Recipe:
1 gallon chicken manure partially composted
1/2 jar molasses
1 oz fish emulsion
several hands full of chick weed
2 oz blood meal

Filled the 35 gallon trash can to almost the top and stirred every day for 2 days and used on the garden.
Filled container back with some water and continued to stir every day for 2 days and used on the garden.
Rained like gang busters, stirred and used on the garden and now 2 squash starts don't look so well. Rest of plants I used it on look great.

Opinions?

 

[so lucky]

I don't see how anything in your tea could hurt the squash plants. I do think I read, tho, that compost tea has to be used up, not stored, as the microbes die if not stirred or agitated constantly. Not that it would be poisonous, just not as beneficial. I have been meaning to learn more about compost tea, but every article I find has something weird like using an old cow horn or fresh camel dung. (just kidding about the camel dung) I would like to be told that using compost and water, agitated for a while, does the trick. Guess if it were that easy, everybody would be doing it!

 

[momofdrew]

I always thought compost tea was just compost and water...let sit for a couple of days and use watered down...

 

[hangin'witthepeeps]

Well I let it fill with rain. It's in an area that's hard to dump out, that's my excuse, lol. I guess I need to rethink the 35 gallon trash can. I just can't use it all in one feeding.

What does it mean with the tea becomes anerobic? I know that means without oxygen, but does that hurt the plants? Will it kill my grass or fertilize it to grow more?

 

[momofdrew]

I think that is a Steve question

 

[hangin'witthepeeps]

so lucky, it really is that simple.

http://crazyaboutcompost.com/2011/07/01/compost-tea-demonstration-by-praxxus-video/

 

[lesa]

I would not put the remaining tea on anything you don't want to grow... I would examine those squash plants very carefully, for squash bugs and vine borers. Your potion may not have been as nutritious as it once was, but I see no reason why it should have harmed your squash....I agree that a more manageable sized bucket would make your life easier! Happy Gardening!

 

[digitS']

I think that is a Steve question

Yikes!!

Okay, I made compost tea - once!

After the required number of days fermenting, I opened the barrel and looked in. After I'd picked myself up off the ground - I decided I'd use it just once and never make it again! It has been over 30 years, I've never made it again.

Some folks have problems with the smell of the fish emulsion that I use. It seems kind of "pleasant" after awhile to me. I think it says that they also have seaweed in the bottle to help with odor. Anyway, it smells like the rocks along the Pacific when the tide is out. That doesn't seem so unpleasant.

Steve

 

[hangin'witthepeeps]

This 2 week fermented stuff definitely smells like .................... sewage.


That is why I've neglected to bail it out and haul it somewhere away from my house. It's much more pleasant to ignore it.

 

[thistlebloom]

The only thing that might be an issue is the chicken manure that you said was partially composted. Other than that it seems like it should be a real good thing, and in my opinion, the rainwater just enhances it. It won't kill your grass, and I wouldn't worry about using it on the garden. Like So Lucky said, it may just have less active microbes, but the minerals would all be there.

I've made compost tea off and on, and one year I was inspired to fill a trash can with garden weeds,
( I read this from a reliable source )
and top it off with water. Then let it age... yeah! It smelled really bad! I believed it gave my plants a boost, and I figured that boost was good for several years. At least!

I haven't used that method again, it took awhile for the smell to wear off my hands.