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Mill Bay, British Columbia

I just made my first batch of tea and applied it as a drench to my 2 plants. I was going to dilute it (as read here somewhere) however a well respected Island grower advised me that I should NOT dilute my compost tea once it is brewed as the beneficials/microbes would be killed with the addition of water that has chlorine and or cholramines.

While I totally trust my Island advisor, I am wondering what others do. I suppose I could leave some water out in a pail to let the chlorine and chloramine leach out....what do other growers do and Tad...what is your take on this??

Thanks.

6/10/2009 11:25:47 AM

Upstate S.C.

Glenn, I never dilute my tea, I never have. A good tea will already have a large amount of water in it anyway.

6/10/2009 2:39:22 PM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

Chris I think Glenn's dilemma is city water and the chlorine and chloramine it contains. I have well water so no problem there. I think you answered you question Glenn, just let it sit for a day or so and the chlorine should gas off. I made four batches so far, the 1st two were applied to the soil undiluted. The intent was to increase beneficial microbes so I didn't see any point in diluting. The next two batches were diluted 3-1 and applied to everything in the garden, including flowers and shrubs. Diluting it just made the brew go farther.

6/10/2009 4:21:54 PM

Minnesota

I went to Youtube videos and looked up John Evens for bountea "the secret is in the soil" he really sold me on the idea of compost tea, he dilutes his 5 to 1, he was'nt growing pumpkins but everything else.

6/10/2009 6:25:10 PM

Oklahoma State Record Holder

I use mine full strength, I use a pump and pump it through the whizzers.

6/10/2009 7:43:47 PM

nanaimo,B.C,Canada

Hi Glenn, you can dilute as long as the water has been dechlorinated by oxygen. Apparently humic acid is known to kill off chloramines. Can someone else verify this.

Dave

6/10/2009 7:48:25 PM

South East

why would you wonna dilute it. If you dont have enough, you need to brew larger amounts. The point is to add a diversity of microbes and fungi to your soil. diluting it makes no sense.

6/10/2009 10:51:40 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

OK then, thanks for the input.

6/11/2009 10:30:47 AM

Seattle, WA

The rates we use on our tea is 20 gal./acre for soil drenches or turf applications, or 5 gal./acre for foliar applications up to 5 ft. in height. The water is merely a carrier, meaning that what's important is that you have at least that much tea in the mix. So 5 gal. will cover up to a 1/4 acre for a soil drench. Obviously water will need to be added to get an even application and here's where "dilution rate" comes in. I use this in parenthesis because it's not really a dilution we're looking at, but rather that we're getting the organisms out in the proper concentrations over a given area. Some people use straight tea, I've heard other using ratios upwards of 20:1, water:tea. Doesn't really matter as long as you're getting enough straight tea to meet the above application rates.

As far as chlorine, it's easy to remove. Bubble your water for an hour or so, or let it sit out for 24 hours in an open container.

Chloramine is a bit trickier....it has a more stable molecular structure that doesn't degas when it comes in contact with the air or over time. Therefore it has to be complexed by reacting with another chemical or organic matter. Your options are humic acids, ascorbic acid, or organic matter. If you're just watering, don't worry about it. There's enough organic matter in the soil. If you want to use humic acids, add enough to turn the water a dark brown. If you are using ascorbic acids, check out the "vita d chlor" website for more info., though a 500 mg vitamin C tablet should be able to do 15 gal. of water. Lastly, you can add organic matter to the water before brewing or spraying as a way of removing the chloramine by having it react with the organic matter.

Cheers,
Tad

6/11/2009 1:58:54 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Tad, how "open" does the container need to be? I have chlorine in my city water...and fill 55 gallon drums w/ that water...each drum has 2 small 3" holes in the top...is this "open" enough to let the chlorine, gas off? Peace, Wayne

6/11/2009 11:54:54 PM