Making Tea - is EZ.... & Cheap !

[canefan]

To Serve, I don't know the ph of number of your soil and how out of whack it is but a quick fix I have found over the years is some hardwood ash.......quicker than lime, won't ever burn, but as the old saying goes a little bit goes a long way. I use about a tablespoon per gallon of container and then check the ph in a few days.......the wood ash is also great in the compost heap. Just my two cents hope it helps.

 

[canefan]

Oh so thanks for the link to American Plant it is good reading.

 

[somebody041]

To Serve, I don't know the ph of number of your soil and how out of whack it is but a quick fix I have found over the years is some hardwood ash.......quicker than lime, won't ever burn, but as the old saying goes a little bit goes a long way. I use about a tablespoon per gallon of container and then check the ph in a few days.......the wood ash is also great in the compost heap. Just my two cents hope it helps.

thanks for the tip canefan! do you use hardwood ash instead of lime to address possible ph issues?

 

[canefan]

Somebody, I haven't used dolomite or lime in over 20 years, I live in rural area and have lots of fires keeping the farm clean. Just recycling what nature gave me and its free which is the best part. I spread wood ash on the all the fields, flowerbeds and yard. Great to have a smoke and sit around the campfire if you will. All soils being different in how they hold amendments, start out slow, watch your ph and enjoy. Today you need to save a dime were you can, you can use it to buy better genetics......lol.

 

[billdo]

I totally love brewing my own teas now... Thanks Ohso!

There is just something satisfying about making them. Maybe it is that it brings out the "mad scientist" in me.

 

[to serve man]

Thanks for the advice canefan. I will see if I can get some woodash. Would garden centers carry it, or where would I have to go?

 

[DaveyDoom]

I have a mixture of chicken and duck manure going right now in a 5 gallon bucket. Added the molasses and watch it foam up. I love micro-beasties. So do my maters.

 

[farel2]

Thanks for all the advice everyone!!!! I tried hydro and did not like it much. I am now gathering what i need to start my own tea and vermicompost bin. Though living in an apartment makes it limiting.

cane, Does any wood work well for this in particular?? After a fire can i collect the ash and use it??

 

[canefan]

depending on where you live, try woods like oak, maple, ash, hickory. Do not use pine of any sort. Hope this helps and I think you will love the results, I know that it makes all my plants and grass green and happy.

 

[plantsinpants]

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Buffalosoulja... From week 1 until week 3 (only plain unchlorinated water). At week three, a regular strength dose of Super Plant Tonic. Then I wait two or three days and feed a low dose (grow tea). With an NPK range of 4-2-4 to 6-3-6.
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After that, 1/2 strength SPT with plain water every week, feedings every two weeks. But the soil, I start in already has Organic fertilizers (compost, bunny manure or bat guano, & alfalfa meal) mixed in. That is why I feed lightly. I want the roots to spread out looking for food and water.
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If you start out with strong does of fertilizer, you basically hender root development. Since, Mary only stretches here roots as far as she needs to get food & water.
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If you water on the outside rim of your container, or six inches out from the main stem - she will reach out for the water - improving root growth. Then the myco fungi in SPT have more root surface to tap into and feed.
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Doing it this way, keeps Mary shorter & bushier - which is what I prefer.
Then as time goes by, I increase the strength of my teas just slightly. If in between feedings, a plant starts to show any sign of needing something. I adjust as I go. In my book, feeding low, slow & steady gets better results.
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If you overwater and overfertilize, you cause so many problems - they become much harder to sort out.
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Hope this Helps.....
Keep it Real... Organic... sorry, it took me so long to respond....
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you have a book?? please elaborate

 

[DaveyDoom]

Alfalfa has an approximate NPK of 2.5-.5-2. They sell 50 lb bags of alfalfa cubes (highly compressed extruded cubes) at my local feed store for around 15 bucks. I think I will try some tea with some.

 

[DaveyDoom]

 

[plantsinpants]

i have been expirementing with guano tea and compost tea this summer and i have to say everything is going better than i thought it would but theres always a litle part of me that thinks if i would have used mg theyd be even bigger ,, but then i think of how good it will feel to smoke some un-huminised bud! AMEN god bless the organic methods

 

[Slab]

How much tea(bat quano, cow manure and molasses) would I need to introduce to a 5 gal bucket of unchlorinated water that is being aerated to colonize that water?

Thanks for the help!

 

[plantsinpants]

How much tea(bat quano, cow manure and molasses) would I need to introduce to a 5 gal bucket of unchlorinated water that is being aerated to colonize that water?

Thanks for the help!

i do 1 tbs per gallon , i use bat guano!
and i try to ALWAYS have some worm castings, those are life savers!!! also at a 1tbs/gal of unchlorinated water!!! i mix at a rate of 2tbs/gal to make a concentrate, then i mix 1:1 with water

hope i didnt make that sound too confusing!!! if you need help shout me !!

 

[plantsinpants]

if you have 3 diff manures than do 1/3 tbs/gal!!

 

[grow space]

ok-iv been reading this thread and big thanx 4 useful info thread host.so i have this compost pile-i throw in thre all sorts of things, like:grass,potato shells,all kinds of water liquids,banana shells and so so may things as well-so im thinking can i take some of that compost and mix it with watre and let it stirr 4 a couple of days and then feed that tea to my plants????is it posiible-no animal manure is in there.



keep up the good organic work man....

 

[plantsinpants]

good idea !!! but it would help a whole bunch if you went to your local pet store and got a 10$ air pump to aerate your brew!!

so get a air-pump & airstone : total 15$ max and you have yourselfe some excellent compost tea

 

[grow space]

i dont think il do that but thanx 4 advice plantsinpants.il think il just mix it up hard with a big stick or something

 

[Ohsogreen]

i dont think il do that but thanx 4 advice plantsinpants.il think il just mix it up hard with a big stick or something

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Grow Space.... You can get by without a air pump, but they do really improve a fertilizer tea.
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Two clean 5 gallon buckets work well also. Just pour your mix from one to the other, twice daily for extra oxygen that keeps your tea sweet (aerobic).
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Just a thought.....you get better mixing & oxygenating that way, use a big stick to keep your neighbors & wife in line.... LOL ....
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Any amendment you add for nutrients, should be composted first, to ensure you get the most value out of it......
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Hope this helps....
Keep it Real....Organic........
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PS... Don't tell your wife I said that.........
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