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Georgetown, Ontario

I may be opening a real can of worms here, but I would love to see some real scientific proof that compost tea actually works. I just read the book "Teaming With Microbes" and was pretty well sold on compost tea, but a little web research has had me come across lots of articles such as this http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/~linda%20chalker-scott/horticultural%20myths_files/Myths/Compost%20tea%203rd%20time.pdf
Take a few minutes to read this, then I would love to hear some comments about what you think.
Thanks
John N

3/19/2011 7:26:27 PM

Ontario

John I would not use it to fight disease or pathogens, my main focus would be to provide bacteria and fungi to the soil. Not sure what compost tea company is making claims on disease fighting..... but obviously from the article that is not the case. Good read. I will still brew and add as a drench as I have for the past few years. I have a batch going for my cabbage as we speak!! Fungul dominant this time.

3/19/2011 8:17:46 PM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

Not a can of worms at all. Try it for yourself and then decide if you like it or not, you won't do any harm.

3/19/2011 9:45:17 PM

Redmond, Washington; U.S.A.

I'd agree with you... Except... there are 0 tea recipes in that 3 page "scientific" Paper you cited . LATER

3/21/2011 9:21:36 PM

Georgetown, Ontario

Agree with me???? Monster??? There's nothing to agree with, I don't have an opinion. I was asking for others opinions.....LATER

3/21/2011 9:52:39 PM

Gays Mills, Wisconsin

no scientific data for this:
2009 - by experience I had effective powdery mildew control using aerobic worm casting tea (contained seaweed & molasses), plants that were out of reach of the spray had PM, leaves under canopy had PM, but what I applied the tea to did not...... no fungicides were used the entire year. Teaming with Microbes I thought was giving good advice. John maybe casting tea has more of an effect than compost tea? any grant money available to do a study? LOL

3/21/2011 11:43:56 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

John, I'm a big believer in foliar feeding anyways so compost tea is something that I added to the rotation 2 years ago cause I figured it could only help.

I don't have a case study or quantifiable results but compost tea is something I will continue to brew in small batches and spray on along with the other foliar ammendments that have made thier way into the rotation as well.

Like most times when I foliar feed something, the plants actually look better so I let those results speak for themselves.

3/22/2011 1:17:39 AM

Redmond, Washington; U.S.A.

I have listened to a soil scientist at wsu at our spring meeting a couple years ago. Dr. Cogger one of there soil scientists said that even though they claim to see no benefit for field crops, When you are dealing with AG's which have unusually large leaves and you are trying to max out there fruit production, even he said it may be beneficial. In my opinion WSU is way behind on compost tea. And they are not doing field research on it anymore, all they have is old research on it.
ADIOS!

3/22/2011 3:48:03 PM

Seattle, WA

Don't have much time today, but wanted to write a quick response.

If you look at the studies that Dr. Chalker-Scott reviewed, you'll see that the controls were very poor. The brewer design wasn't tested, no microscope work was used to determine if the organisms were present. Dissolved oxygen wasn't monitored while brewing throughout the entire brewing cycle. These are just a few examples that make these studies flawed in my opinion.

In regards to plant health and plant growth, and an increase in nutrient cycling, I think aerated compost tea definitely works. As to it's ability to suppress disease, I think this works some of the time, but is really more dependent on the local habitat in which you're applying (how strong are disease pressures, etc...).

Harvard University released a study a year or so ago that incorporated compost tea and was quite successful. The Woodland Park Zoo here in Seattle has been using it for years on it's rose garden.

I think the lack of good research and studies (let's face it, they're expensive), doesn't mean that it doesn't work.

Oh and Chalker-Scott and Dr. Inhgam have had this academic dispute going on for years. Both produce research and studies refuting each other...it's quite silly.

3/24/2011 1:27:35 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Thanks Tad, and a quick ? for Mr Mailey...fungal dominant? How so? Microscope lookin at the results, or ingredients up front? No disrespect, just curious? & why? Hopefully this turns into a learning thing for awl of us!!! Peace, Wayne

4/2/2011 12:50:01 AM

Georgetown, Ontario

Thanks Tad, that makes a lot of sense. Wayne, I'm pretty sure Brian isn't testing with a microscope so when he says fungal dominant it would be based on the ingredients and brew time.

4/2/2011 7:32:20 AM

Seattle, WA

I think you'll get more disease suppression from the bacteria in an ACT than the fungi. I have a hard time swallowing the idea that soil based fungal hyphae will make a lick of difference on the leaf surfaces of plants.....but who knows? Haven't seen any good data on this one. But, if you look at the organic fungicides on the market, don't they tend to be some species of bacillus subtillus usually?

4/2/2011 7:54:20 PM

Ontario

Wayne...I brew for a longer time with the addition of alfalfa, I do not test with a microscope yet, but it is my understanding that the fungal portion of the tea takes longer to grow. As I said earlier I am just adding my tea to the soil, right now just giant cabbage and house plants, but will brew a big batch for around my planting sights in a few weeks.

4/3/2011 10:04:54 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

Thanks Tad, and awl the Lunatics!!! Peace, Wayne

4/16/2011 3:23:07 AM