Compost starter to make tea?

Has anyone used a Compost starter in a tea??? In theory it has tons of essential microbes to get a compost burning, so shouldnt it also be able to make a pretty badass tea if fed? The product im looking at specifically is Espoma Compost Starter, and was thinking about mixing in some bat guano, Coast of maine lobster, kelp and worm castings, molasses, and some bone meal. Any thoughts??

Dr.4:20 said:

Has anyone used a Compost starter in a tea??? In theory it has tons of essential microbes to get a compost burning, so shouldnt it also be able to make a pretty badass tea if fed? The product im looking at specifically is Espoma Compost Starter, and was thinking about mixing in some bat guano, Coast of maine lobster, kelp and worm castings, molasses, and some bone meal. Any thoughts??

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Welcome to RIU! I think that most people keep their compost and nutient tea seperate. I am sure that someone could chime in and explain it better.

MustangStudFarm said:

Welcome to RIU! I think that most people keep their compost and nutient tea seperate. I am sure that someone could chime in and explain it better.

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he is correct, the ability to keep a really healthy microbial life in a nutrient tea is a bit more challenging, this is according to the guys with the fancy microscopes, I only can reiterate what i'e been taught/told.
For example kelp meal delays microbial reproduction, as well as many other nutrients.
if your goal is to inoculate your growing media, the best bt would be to source some fresh worm castings, preferably from a local homesteader or a hippy-compound type of thing, the fresher the better, and typically bagged is inferior.
compost is another good source, but from what I understand wormcastings is more "microbe-dense"
in other words to start a proper AACT you may be wise to add a bit more compost to the tea, to compensate for the lower microbial numbers there.
Or not, you could simply increase your brew times to offset that.
I used to brew me up a bunch of tea, but since have steered away, unless my soil, gets too dry, which is every now and then.
SSTs are where there is some "magical" shit goin on.
But AACTs I do maybe twice a grow.
But I have a HUGE portion of compost and EWC in my soil so I doubt the microbes are suffering in numbers

Dr.4:20 said:

Has anyone used a Compost starter in a tea??? In theory it has tons of essential microbes to get a compost burning, so shouldnt it also be able to make a pretty badass tea if fed? The product im looking at specifically is Espoma Compost Starter, and was thinking about mixing in some bat guano, Coast of maine lobster, kelp and worm castings, molasses, and some bone meal. Any thoughts??

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also keep in mind many of those things aren't soluble, so there is an issue with that.
best things for nutrient teas are soluble.
alfalfa meal, kelp meal, molasses.
bat guano (remember its not ALL soluble), kelp meal.
comfrey or dandelion ferment is a good one, even better if you can get stinging nettles
coco water has potassium

Thanks guys, I did some more reading on top of your info and decided to use my compost starter to, well, fire up my dwindling compost bin! Last night as I was cleaning my fish tank it occurred to me I had a whole other kind of fertilizer already in there. So I took my fish water, threw in a couple tablespoons of each of the above, and brewed it overnight. Feed this morning filled 1:3 and they seem to like it so far!

On a side note, is this curling anything I should worry about?? (It has gotten hotter than I'd like in there and have taken corrective measures) also recent transplant and change to 600w mh. Only a couple really show it, most are minor. And this was before the tea!

I've been using the Compost Tea Starter from Kelp4less.com. Very satisfied with results.

Have you tried boogie brew? If so how does the kelp4less compare? I'm trying to keep it fully organic but there's sooo much freaking reading to do on it. It's like taking the biology class I slept through all over again, but now I'm interested in it lol.

Kelp 4 less is a rip off

Dr.4:20 said:

Have you tried boogie brew? If so how does the kelp4less compare? I'm trying to keep it fully organic but there's sooo much freaking reading to do on it. It's like taking the biology class I slept through all over again, but now I'm interested in it lol.

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Maybe I've done too many envies but..
I try not fall for gimmicks .. Or buy living things off of shelves.

I would Read microbe mans research from his real farm ..
2500 gallon brews, microscopes the whole way.
Then forget the products, and realize how easy doing it yourself is.
Lots of reading out there, true, but read from pros in each area and never look back..
Live worms are the best thing.
Get your humus, meal and dust recipe solid and you can laugh more than you think.
And then just add water.
Use the odd treatment when you can and want,
Like when flipping to flower or shooting for your best pull.

Anyways, welcome to the site!
Nice plants too.

Thanks Don, that's basically the route I decided to go. Bring my dwindling compost bin to life, and work on my own supply of castings. It's much easier and way cheaper to go out back and grab a couple scoops of dirt than to pay for it!

Dr.4:20 said:

Thanks Don, that's basically the route I decided to go. Bring my dwindling compost bin to life, and work on my own supply of castings. It's much easier and way cheaper to go out back and grab a couple scoops of dirt than to pay for it!

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You're on a dope path, then, hombre.. Have fun!

hyroot said:

Kelp 4 less is a rip off

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You're entitled to your opinion, but after several years of buying diluted nutrients and lots of water, I've found buying dry nutrients from these folks has been cost effective. And they actually answer the phone and discuss your needs in person. Try that with Advanced Nutrients!

bigskymtnguy said:

You're entitled to your opinion, but after several years of buying diluted nutrients and lots of water, I've found buying dry nutrients from these folks has been cost effective. And they actually answer the phone and discuss your needs in person. Try that with Advanced Nutrients!

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I wasn't saying anything about bottled nutes. I've been doing no till for 5 years.

It's not opinion it's fact that they are a ripoff. Kelp 4 less charges 2-4 times more for the same product as build a soil and keep it simple organics.

Not sure if these are exactly alike, but it is a product I use in my foliar spray. Don't mean to compare apples and oranges, but simply took a quick look at what looks to be similar product. Doesn't seem to be 2-4 times more in price, in fact in this case is less expensive. I'm sure there are products that may be purchased economically from all of the three suppliers mentioned. Don't want a peeing contest here, would like to respect all suppliers that don't hype their diluted mixes, like Advanced Nutrients. I hope we can agree that no matter which supplier chosen, the grower is far ahead by purchasing dry nutrients from one of these places.

One Pound OMRI Certified Water Soluble Kelp Powder.
Kelp4Less - $20.90 Free Shipping

Keep It Simple Organics - One Pound Soluble Seaeed Extract Powder (KIS soluble seaweed extract powder is a soluble extract of Ascophyllum Nodosum seaweed -- otherwise known as Kelp)
19.00 - $5.99 Shipping.

I'm sure there are cases where each supplier is less expensive, simply don't want to condemn any one company.

LMFAO! One pound of Kelp meal for $20-25!!!! Holy F($*%!!!!

I would not buy anything labeled seaweed extract. These are made with potassium hydroxide and/or sodium hydroxide. Go to your local farm supply store and pick up a 50# sack of KELP MEAL for around $60. Worst case senario, you can buy 5# at the hydrostore for less than $15.

Peace!

P-

hyroot said:

I wasn't saying anything about bottled nutes. I've been doing no till for 5 years.

It's not opinion it's fact that they are a ripoff. Kelp 4 less charges 2-4 times more for the same product as build a soil and keep it simple organics.

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Hyroot,
You've been no tilling for way long, brother..
What's your favourite ratio for size of no till to number of plants..(and mains?)
Do you like to keep a bed all the same strain?
Respect,
DonT

DonTesla said:

Hyroot,
You've been no tilling for way long, brother..
What's your favourite ratio for size of no till to number of plants..(and mains?)
Do you like to keep a bed all the same strain?
Respect,
DonT

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I've been doing 1 Plant per 10 gal. I wanna get some 30 gals going and throw 2 Plants in each. I've stuck with 10 gals for the ease of moving from room to room. One veg room I have to pick up the pots and set them onto a stage sort of. That's 2 feet off the ground. And a 30 gal would be hard on the back doing that. Unless the soil is completely dry.

With the 10 gal containers, how long do you veg? Would you go longer in the 30 gallons? Or do you just go until there is space in the flower room?

Pattahabi said:

LMFAO! One pound of Kelp meal for $20-25!!!! Holy F($*%!!!!

I would not buy anything labeled seaweed extract. These are made with potassium hydroxide and/or sodium hydroxide. Go to your local farm supply store and pick up a 50# sack of KELP MEAL for around $60. Worst case senario, you can buy 5# at the hydrostore for less than $15.

Peace!

P-

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I use KELP MEAL to add to my soil mix, but kelp4less OMRI Certified water soluble KELP POWDER to my watering but mostly for my foliar feed regimen. Agreed, it would be ideal to not use refined concentrates, but we all make some compromises for convenience. To get back to the original topic of the post, it would also be ideal to not purchase prepared starter and to make it yourself with the base ingredients. Wish I had unlimited space and time so I could be a complete purist, but I have a life outside of growing medical cannabis.