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South East

During season, nutritional needs of the pumpkin plant changes, who changes recipes during a season, and how often?

3/31/2008 6:32:38 AM

Sheridan . NY

a little bit of every one --if you look at our program frank-tina--we are changing all the time for the particular time of plant life and things the plant is doing BLOOM-->ect

3/31/2008 8:50:28 AM

Seattle, WA

Hmmmm.....with compost tea you're attempting to get the highest diversity of microorganims in every batch, sort of a "shotgun" approach.

Personally, and this is opinion, I would think it better to change your micronutrients or fertilizer applications during the season, rather than your compost tea.

3/31/2008 12:24:40 PM

Bristol,RI,USA.

here in Rhode island we do change things up alittle as the season progreses. in the start of the season we add fish to the tea, as the season moves on the fish is decreased and kelp is increased and nutra cal is added in small amounts misting more often. it's just what we do, hope this helps
calcubit

4/1/2008 10:47:51 AM

Coupeville WA

I think what is confusing about this post is that there are 2 topics going on.
First, the plants needs are changing throughout the season, and various fertilizers are being used to meet the needs of the plant. There are multiple feeding programs (for the pumkin plant) that can be used.
Second, foods that you put into your compost tea are not so much to benifit the pumpkin plant, rather the microorganisms that you are attempting to introduce to the foliage and soil of the pumpkin plant.
The "bugs" need food during the brewing cycle to thirve and reproduce. As Thad has stated, the whole idea with compost tea is to add diversity, "bugs", to the soil. These "bugs" in turn break down the organic fertilizers and make compounds locked in the soil more bioavailable to the plant.
The food that you put into the compost tea brew is not being used specifically to fertilize the plant, rather the "bugs" you are trying to grow.
I hope this hepls to clarify. If I have mis spoke, please chime in. This is my understanding of compost tea.

Phil

4/1/2008 1:49:32 PM

South East

sorry for the mix up, but in compost tea as a foliar many things can be added..if you for instance would lay the emphisis on fotosyntheses in a bigger plant stage, how would you change your compost tea from the beginning of season when its mostly a soil drench?

4/1/2008 3:28:06 PM

Sheridan . NY

Sorry --just a dumb stupid Old Man that can read --!!

4/1/2008 4:51:02 PM

Seattle, WA

I agree, there are 2 topics going on here.

1. Compost tea in and of itself should be a high diversity of soil microbes. You can change what organisms will be most successful based on the food you put in the brewer at the beginning of the brew cycle.

2. Many people add other ingredients after brewing, such as humates, seaweed, fish, organic fertilizer, etc... These inputs are more related to nutrient and mineral inputs and may change during the season based on the stage of the plant.

3. What "Hands On" is saying is correct. By adding these other ingredients at the end of the brewing cycle, you will be feeding the soil microbes, which in turn cycle the nutrients in the soil and make them plant available, which should reduce some of your fertilizer needs and create more balanced growth.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this? Good topic!

~Tad

4/1/2008 11:10:07 PM