| Organic gardeners all know compost is | | | | or chemical fertilizers we reduce the number |
| fantastic stuff. But now, there's something | | | | of beneficial microorganisms in the soil. |
| even better and that's compost tea. If you | | | | |
| start with a good compost you'll have a | | | | Plants produce their own energy and food and |
| versatile elixir for all your garden needs. | | | | half of that goes to the roots and some of |
| | | | that goes into the surrounding soil and guess |
| Compost tea helps prevent foliage diseases | | | | who gets that? Correct, the good guys, and |
| and at the same time increase the nutrients | | | | then it turns into a beneficial cycle. |
| to the plant and shutdown the toxins hurting | | | | |
| the plants. It will improve the taste/flavor | | | | The following is taken from the internet and |
| of your vegetables. So why not give this tea | | | | shows compost tea is becoming a force in |
| a try either by buying it or brewing it | | | | gardening. |
| yourself. You won't believe the results! | | | | |
| | | | National Organic Standards Board Compost Tea |
| Four ways that good bacteria work: | | | | Task Force Report April 6, 2004 Introduction |
| | | | In 2003, the National Organic Standards Board |
| Help compete for the nutrients | | | | convened a Compost Tea Task Force to review |
| | | | the relevant scientific data and report their |
| Dine on the bad varmits | | | | recommendations on 'What constitutes a |
| | | | reasonable use of compost tea?' The Task |
| Help produce antibiotics to use against the | | | | Force was composed of 13 individuals with |
| varmits. | | | | knowledge and expertise in organic farming |
| | | | practices, organic certification, EPA |
| They shove the bad varmits out. | | | | pathogen regulations, compost, compost tea |
| | | | production and analysis, plant pathology, |
| Compost tea that is correctly brewed has a | | | | food safety and environmental microbiology. |
| wealth of microorganisms that will benefit | | | | |
| your plants' growth and health as well as the | | | | Throughout their discussions, members |
| soil that they live in. Compost tea can be | | | | consistently acknowledged the growing |
| considered yogurt for the soil. The | | | | interest among certified organic and |
| microorganisms living there are both good and | | | | conventional growers to use compost teas, and |
| bad. What the tea does is make sure the good | | | | the need to develop effective |
| guys win by introducing helpful bacteria, | | | | biologically-based tools to manage plant |
| fungi, protozoa and beneficial nematodes. | | | | fertility, pests, and diseases. |
| | | | |
| Harmful bacteria lives best in soil that does | | | | A primary reason for producing compost tea is |
| not have good air circulation. Good bacteria | | | | to transfer microbial biomass, fine |
| lives best and will thrive in soil that is | | | | particulate organic matter, and soluble |
| well ventilated with oxygen. This is where a | | | | chemical components of compost into an |
| good compost tea, made the right way, comes | | | | aqueous phase that can be applied to plant |
| in. When you have well oxygenated compost you | | | | surfaces and soils in ways not possible or |
| automatically get rid of 3/4 of the bad | | | | economically feasible with solid compost. |
| varmits. Also by using harmful insecticides | | | | |