JK,
I am appreciating this dialogue. So thank you. Let me start off by saying that I have been humbled by failure in the compost tea making realm, and feel I have learned a lot from my mistakes. That being said, I appreciate your openness to new information from a seeming stranger. I assure you my intentions are good and I want the best for anyone I have the opportunity of interacting with in life, never mind on this site. My experience is backed by time and extensive research on this very subject, and so if I read something new, I am sometimes overly curious. The questions I asked were in regards to such new information, so please excuse me if I was a bit direct, I meant no dis respect.
1. On the smell of the fish hydrolysate- I tend to agree with this. Lack of smell over time very well might equate to the assured presence of microbiology. I don't have microscope either (thats where Tim Wilson's Site comes in handy), but I think that logic is sound. Happy plants are always a good indicator of successful methods. I think everyone would agree.
2. Manure in tea- My only suggestion is to be aware of pathogens. At the VERY least, wash your hands well
I also just read an article in Mother Earth News about testing compost of animals fed inorganic contaminants like pesticides, herbicides and the like, which were then detectable in trace amounts in the compost.. Something to look into.. I think this is my biggest concern and given the potential of it being of harm to your health, and depending on what you are trying to achieve by using this material in this manner (nutrients, inoculation, etc.), I am sure folks here including myself would be glad to offer alternatives...
3. Blood in tea- Same deal. Slaughterhouse blood from nasty antibiotic ridden, hormone infested death holes should be avoided at all costs. For your information, blood IS soluble in water, but I would most certainly use FISH MEAL if you were die-hard on using blood. Alfalfa and Kelp (recipe below), will fill all the gaps Manure and blood would.. At least raw manure..
4. "Charcoal, peat humus and azomite, to create.." - I would be cautious of this reasoning. I am sure on some level, simply given it's presence in the tea, some micro biology will be present on these materials, but I think the simple cost of azomite, and peat negate it's necessity. You are way better off adding other forms of organic matter for which to create "microbial earthships" (compost, earth worm castings, plant material to make Botanical Tea- plant material BUBBLED in water for 24-48 hrs gives great effects). The peat would, if anything, diversify the microherd by adding it's own "consortia" of beneficials.
5. Chitin/Chitinase- Something I am still researching. But for what it's worth, I only put Crab/Crustacean meals IN the soil. Thats just me, but here are some articles you might find interesting, especially in light of our conversation in regards to mycorrhizal fungi. I don't know how deep you want to get, but here it is anyways:
a.
http://plantbiology.unibas.ch/molbio/molbio.htm
b.
http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/2556926?uid=3739568&uid=2&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=21102033801561
c.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17364687
d.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15267156
E. And to your point-
http://www.jbc.org/content/266/36/24260.full.pdf Thanks
6. Yes, that website has been foundational in my learning curve.. Mr. Wilson is on point..
7. I didn't mean to dog the money thing, but just like everyone, I am constantly trying to cut costs and replace one thing with another more local,
sustainable, less mined, healthier - thing. It is a continuous experience, and one of knowledge building to say the least. But I had to bring it up because I truly feel that from my experience, you can probably achieve the same thing with a fraction of the material/cost. Again with due respect. That being said, let me share with you a mini, simple, and potentially free recipe that was once shared with me, and extensively put to use.
Alfalfa/Kelp Compost/Earthworm Casting Tea: Microbiological Innoculation, Macro/Micro nutrients, a boat load of natural plant growth regulators, auxins, cytokinins, giberellins (Source: Seaweed and PLant Growth by T.L Senn), microbial food/activation, Triacontanol (alfalfa), amongst many others.
Per 4 gallons of water (because if you fill one of those 5 gallon buckets to the brim and pump air into it, you might get some on your face..
1 Cup Compost
1 Cup Earth Worm Castings (you can use less of both, but I have plenty.)
2 TBSP per Gallon Kelp Meal (will obviously vary if using freshly harvested seaweed)
1 TBSP per Gallon Alfalfa Meal
1 TBSP per Gallon Unsulphured Black Strap Molasses
Bubble for 24-36 hours. Apply directly and undiluted as soil drench. Use these numbers as minimums and adjust them according to plant response.
Again, the dialogue is much appreciated.
cHeStEr