Soil Food Web Gardening with Compost Teas

I purchased Gil Carandang's book titled "Grow Your Own Beneficial Indigenous Microorganisms and Bionutrients In Natural Farming" at Amazon for $9.99 (digital ebook).

I see many on youtube who use a simple LAB serum to inoculate the bran, then they dry. Others use a pre-made EM mix from a bottle, which isn't bad at all! I'd just rather try and make my own.

Essentially you use a food source like rice or rice water to attract the locals. Then you feed them to amplify them, then you put some in milk to select only the Lacto Bacilli

Given that you are collecting the strongest local microbes, and given that there are likely thousands of various Lacto B strains in any sampling, I'm not seeing the need to use bacteria in a bottle from some other state or country.

right on!! thanks!! this is a step ahead of where I am at right now, I have a bottle of EM that is almost empty and a bottle of non-activated EM that I can use to make 20 more activated bottle of EM so I am good for while but I ll def. be looking into making my own in the future!! THANKS

Considering how concentrated the bottle is, and how cheap it is, you really have to question my sanity. It's not like I think I can make it any better, I just like the idea of collecting, amplifying and harvesting myself.

I'd also raise predatory nematodes, etc if I had enough plants.

Yes it is cheap, and also I know the one I buy is loaded LOADED with bennies, but it's nice to know how it works and really understand it. Also it's one of the few bottles I am buying so its not like I am spending a fortune on nutrients.

I completely understand. I'm collecting rather than buying more as a hobby than anything.

Endur0xX said:

nice how do you collect EM!?

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I bought mine from here

http://www.em-sustainableliving.co.uk/

Hey nerds, I've got a great recipe I just recently started using.

1 cup EWC
1 cup fungal compost from simplici-tea.com
5 tbs molasses
5 tbs liquid karma

I brew this tea for about 24 hours in a 5 gallon bucket with 3 air stones. The plants LOVE it. I'm always excited when I make the tea because I know how happy the girls are gonna be.

sampras

awesome outline dude! thanks bro for the layout

i've read dr elaine ingham recommends hydrogen peroxide anyone else hear of this . the educate yourself site is this a lie?

Elaine Ingham is considered a knucklehead amongst my organic soil contacts. What would the benefit of this be?

sorethumb said:

i've read dr elaine ingham recommends hydrogen peroxide anyone else hear of this . the educate yourself site is this a lie?

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...I've seen it debated on the boards, but I wouldn't add h202 to organics.

Great read guys! thank you for supplying so much information. Question for you guys, I think that i've got leaf spot fungus (lsf, https://www.rollitup.org/marijuana-plant-problems/592637-fungus-mold-blight.html#post8340160 ) on some newly rooted clones. I've just moved my clone/teenage area and i dont thin i have enough air movement. Would you recommend applying a tea to compete with the pathogen on the leaf space? apply a fungicide? Or Kill em? Any info is greatly appreciated.

RH

Rrog said:

Holy shit batman

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Lol that's what I have to say about this whole thread! Great job, OP for putting this on here. It has helped me tremendously in my quest for organic, sustainable living. The part about bacteria vs fungi = awesome. Does anyone know if I can use honey instead of molasses?! Molasses is a little too acidic and caused me a few problems last time. I have Pulverized lime I can use at the last minute I guess, though. 1/8 teaspoon per liter. My girls feed HEAVY on the N and P. I can feed them full dosage and in 2 days they will have eaten 3 leaves void of any N. I'm upping strength to 1.5 to see if they'll explode. I already upped the dosage to 1.25 and I swear she bushed out over night. Literally in 1 night. I've had to water 2 times in 3 days, never had to do that before, and humidity has stayed constant. I ran out of EWC but have access to them at the hydro store, just want to start making my own. I have an organically fed horse I can compost manure from and use the wormies to eat it with some citrus and other stuff. HEALTHY FOOD WEB FTW!!!

The molasses acidity would not affect anything at all. It's a simple carb. Honey has antibacterial properties. Everyone uses molasses.

Great thread subd

So I'm going to try this next year. One Q?? Since I used chemical ferts for 2 years in this soil is it saveable?
I always start with 5 gal worth of chicken compost, but is the soil shot now???

My opinion only: Start from scratch with new soil.

It's out side and a full winters worth of rain and snow, that won't rinse out the salts??

Well then you're starting with who-knows-what. And if you're trying a grow with a natural living soil, then I'd think you'd want to start fresh. I really think you would be glad you did.