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Denver, CO

I know this has been discussed last year in some postings. I understand the compost tea is brewed with air and soil soup is mostyl "stewed" and devoid of air. My question is, which is better. It seems that most talk is of compost tea, but that many of the biggest monster pumpkins were grown using the soup. (The 1502 for example and three Colorad state record pumpkins and so on . . .)

I have seen dozens of recipies for tea but none for soil soup? What are the ingreidenits and how do I make it at home as there is no way to afford the commercial site (nearly $300 a plant when all is said and done!) The soil soup website is "skimpy" with information and no indication of how it's made.

3/30/2008 10:18:11 PM

Rhode Island

it has always been my understanding that soil soup and compost tea are pretty much one in the same.

both can be made with the same system. its just the ingredients that change

we make our soil soup with
25 gals water
3 cups worm castings
3 three cups nutrient solution ( bat guano-mollasses-etc
circulate air through out mixture until brew is complete
( usually 24 hrs during warm weather )
just before application we also add some fish and/or kelp product to the mix

we make a batch every 7 to 10 during the season

pap

3/31/2008 8:00:06 AM

Sheridan . NY

yep dick-- it all in what a person whats or thinks he needs-- just like my answer just like a cake mix---make it how you want or need

3/31/2008 8:54:33 AM

Seattle, WA

ghopson,
Here's the difference between actively aerated compost tea and soil soup. With actively aerated compost tea or AACT, you're growing and replicating a wide variety of bacteria, fungi, and protozoa. With soil soup, you're pretty much only going to have bacteria. What the soil soup machine does with its "bio blender" is agitate the tea through a column that sits in the side of the bucket. Unfortunately the larger organisms like the protozoa and fungi are unable to survive this mechanism. The bacteria do just fine though. With AACT, you're adding oxygen and agitating it in that manner to allow for all the organisms to grow.

Can you see good success with soil soup? Of course, as you're still putting something out that is beneficial, and bacteria will help with nutrient cycling, which feeds your plant and helps it grow better.

Will you get that nutrient cycling with AACT? Yes, and the additional benefits provided by the fungi and protozoa.

The link that explains all this is:
http://www.soilfoodweb.com/03_about_us/approach_pgs/c_03a_aerated_tea.html

With compost tea, you can start at any level you feel comfortable, whether that's buying a lab tested brewer, or experimenting with building your own. Either way, it's better than putting out chemicals!

There are plenty of recipes out there that will get you started, and if you build your own brewer and want help in determining amounts, just put a post up in the forum that describes your setup.

~Tad

3/31/2008 12:22:32 PM