Teas: Notes on Compost Teas:

AT Publication A Supplement to the AT TRA Publication Teas Compost Teas for Plant Disease Control
Pest Management Technical Note
APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

www.attra.ncat.org

FOR

RURAL AREAS

By Steve Diver NCAT Agriculture Specialist March 2002

The ATTRA publication Compost Teas for Plant Disease Control, published in 1998, will be updated in 2002. In the meantime, here are a few supplemental notes and resource listings. Two additional items are enclosed as well: Compost Teas: A Tool for Rhizosphere +Phyllosphere Agriculture (PowerPoint slide notes) Compost Teas for Plant Disease Control, the 1998 publication

Table of Contents
Compost Teas vs. Compost Extracts .............................................................................................................. 2 Liquid Organic Extracts vs. Compost Teas .................................................................................................. 2 Methods of Compost Tea Production ........................................................................................................... 3 Compost Tea Brewing Equipment ................................................................................................................ 4 Soil Foodweb: Concepts, Microbial Analysis, Application ..................................................................... 5 Characteristics of a Healthy Soil Foodweb, per Gram of Soil: ............................................................ 5 Minimum Standards for Compost (for Row Crop Plants), per Gram of Compost: ......................... 5 Minimum Standards for Compost Tea, per Milli-Liter of Compost Tea: ......................................... 6 Laboratories that Specialize in Microbial Analysis for Compost Teas ................................................. 6 Key Literature .................................................................................................................................................... 7 Further Web Resources .................................................................................................................................... 8 Compost Teas: A Tool for Rhizosphere + Phyllosphere Agriculture slide notes .............................. 12

ATTRA is the national sustainable agriculture information center operated by the National Center for Appropriate Technology under a grant from the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. These organizations do not recommend or endorse products, companies, or individuals. ATTRA is located in the Ozark Mountains at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville (P.O. Box 3657, Fayetteville, AR 72702). ATTRA staff members prefer to receive requests for information about sustainable agriculture via the toll-free number 800-346-9140.

Compost Teas vs. Compost Extracts

First, it may be helpful to share some common terminology and practices associated with compost teas. How do compost teas differ from compost extracts or compost leachates? Compost Leachate Compost windrow leachate the darkcolored solution that leaches out of the bottom of the compost pilemost likely will be rich in soluble nutrients; but, in the early stage of composting it may also contain pathogens. It would be viewed as a pollution source if allowed to run off-site. Compost leachate needs further bioremediation and is not suitable or recommended as a foliar spray. Compost Extract Compost watery extractmade from compost suspended in a barrel of water for 7 to 14 days, usually soaking in a burlap sack a centuries-old technique. The primary benefit of the extract will be a supply of soluble nutrients, which can be used as a liquid fertilizer. Compost Tea Compost tea, in modern terminology, is a compost extract brewed with a microbial food sourcemolasses, kelp, rock dust, humic-fulvic acids. The compost-tea brewing technique, an aerobic process, extracts and grows populations of beneficial microorganisms. Summary: Compost teas are distinguished from compost extracts both in method of production and in the way they are used. Teas are actively brewed with microbial food and catalyst sources added to the solution, and a sump pump bubbles and aerates the solution, supplying plenty of much-needed oxygen. The aim of the brewing process is to extract beneficial microbes from the compost itself, followed by growing these populations of microbes during the 24- to 36-hour brew period. The compost provides the source of microbes, and the microbial food and catalyst amendments promote the growth and multiplication of microbes in the tea. Some

examples of microbial food sources: molasses, kelp powder, and fish powder. Some examples of microbial catalysts: humic acid, yucca extract, and rock dust.

Liquid Organic Extracts vs. Compost Teas

Building on the concept of compost teas as a liquid organic extract, what are some other common organic extracts used as a liquid drench or foliar spray? Manure Tea Manure-based extractsa soluble nutrient source made from raw animal manure soaked in water. For all practical purposes, manure tea is prepared in the same way as the compost extracts described in the preceding section. The manure is placed in a burlap sack and suspended in a barrel of water for 7 to 14 days. The primary benefit of the tea will be a supply of soluble nutrients, which can be used as a liquid fertilizer. Herbal Tea Plant-based extractsstinging nettle, horse tail, comfrey, clover. A common method is to stuff a barrel about three-quarters full of fresh green plant material, then top off the barrel with tepid water. The tea is allowed to ferment at ambient temperatures for 3 to 10 days. The finished product is strained, then diluted in portions of 1:10 or 1:5 and used as a foliar spray or soil drench. Herbal teas provide a supply of soluble nutrients as well as bioactive plant compounds. Liquid Manures Mixtures of plant and animal byproducts seeped as an extractstinging nettle, comfrey, seaweed, fish wastes, fish meal. Liquid manures are a blend of marine products (local fish wastes, seaweed extract, kelp meal) and locally harvested herbs, soaked and fermented at ambient temperatures for 3 to 10 days. Liquid manures are prepared similarly to herbal teathe material is fully immersed in the barrel during the fermenting period, then strained and diluted and used as a foliar

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spray or soil drench. Liquid manures supply soluble nutrients and bioactive compounds. Summary: Compost teas and herbal teas are tools that can be made on the farm to enhance crop fertility and to inoculate the phyllosphere and rhizosphere with soluble nutrients, beneficial microbes, and the beneficial metabolites of microbes. Caution: Wheareas raw animal manures are used as a compost windrow feedstock, the composting processthermophyllic heating to 135-160 F for 10-15 daysassures pathogen reduction. The raw organic matter initially present in the compost windrow undergoes a complete transformation, with humus as an end product. Any pathogens associated with raw manures will be gone. So caution is extended: Manure teas are NOT the same thing as compost teas or compost extracts. Because of concerns over new pathogenic strains of E. coli, the author advises growers to reconsider manure teas and/or to work with a microbial lab to ensure a safe, worthwhile product.

Methods of Compost Tea Production

Bucket-Fermentation Method Passive compost tea is prepared by immersing a burlap sack filled with compost into a bucket or tank, stirring occassionally. Usually the brew time is longer, from 7 to 10 days. This is the method that dates back hundreds of years in Europe, and is more akin to a compost watery extract than a brewed and aerated compost tea. Bucket-Bubbler Method The equipment setup and scale of production are similar to the bucket method, except that an aquarium-size pump and air bubbler are used in association with microbial food and catalyst sources added to the solution as an amendment. Since aeration is critical, as many as three sump pumps may be used in a bucket simultaneously.

With homemade compost tea brewing, a compost sock is commonly used as a filter-strainer. Ideally, the mesh size will strain compost particulate matter but still allow beneficial microbesincluding fungal hyphae and nematodesto migrate into solution. Single-strand mesh materials such as nylon stockings, laundry bags, and paint bags are some of the materials being used; fungal hyphae tend to get caught in polywoven fabrics. If burlap is used, it should be aged burlap. Trough Method Large-scale production of compost teas employs homemade tanks and pumps. An 8- or 12-inch-diameter PVC pipe is cut in half, drilled full of holes, and lined with burlap. Compost is placed in this makeshift trough. The PVC trough is supported above the tank, several feet in the air. The tank is filled with water, and microbial food sources are added as an amendment. A sump pump sucks the solution from the bottom of the tank and distributes the solution to a trickle line running horizontally along the top of the PVC trough filled with compost. As the solution runs through the burlap bags containing the compost, a leachate is created which then drops several feet through the air back into the open tank below. A sump pump in the bottom of the tank collects this tea and distributes it back through the water line at the top of the trough, and so on. Through this process, which lasts about seven days, the compost tea is recirculated, bubbled, and aerated. The purpose of the microbial food source is to grow a large population of beneficial microorganisms. Commercial Tea Brewers Commercial equipment is available for the production of brewed compost teas (see a list of suppliers below). Usually there is a compost sack or a compost leachate basket with drainage holes, either of which are used to hold a certain volume of compost. The compost-filled container is placed in a specially designed tank filled with chlorine-free water. Microbial food sources are added to the solution. A pump

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supplies oxygen to a specially-designed aeration device which bubbles and aerates the compost tea brewing in the tank. Summary: Depending on your scale of production and the level of financial resources available to purchase commercial brewing equipment vs. making some kind of homemade brewer, there are several methods to choose from. Research at Soil Foodweb, Inc. in Corvallis, Oregon has shown that differences exist in the beneficial attributes of compost teas, with commercial tea brewers producing the greatest numbers and diversity of beneficial microorganisms.

gallon, and 30-gallon tanks, but they also make 175-gallon, 500-gallon, and 1050-gallon tanks.

Microb Brewer 182 Capital Lane Roseburg, OR 97470 info@microbbrewer.com http://www.microbbrewer.com

The Microb Brewer systemdesigned for brewing compost teas, plant extracts, and manure teasconsists of a funnel-shaped tank, pump, vortex nozzles for agitation and aeration, and a compost leachate basket. Tanks are available in 12-, 50-, and 500-gallon sizes.

Compost Tea Brewing Equipment

Growing Solutions, Inc. 160 Madison Street Eugene, OR 97402 888-600-9558 Toll-Free 541-343-8727 Local 541-343-8374 Fax info@growingsolutions.com http://www.growingsolutions.com
Growing Solutions carries the System25 (25gallon), System100 (100-gallon), and System500 (500-gallon) models. Each model consists of a tank, pump, aeration device, and a compost leachate basket. Growing Solutions also makes a pre-packaged microbial food/ catalyst source for compost tea brewing (dry mix). They also carry a specialized 27-gallon sprayer designed to handle the larger particulate matter found in compost teas.

EPM Inc.Earth Tea Brewer P.O. Box 1295 Cottage Grove, OR 97424 541-767-2747 541-767-2744 Fax sales@fish-world.com http://www.composttea.com
EPM Inc. carries the Earth Tea Brewer in 100and 500-gallon tank sizes; each model consists of a tank, a pump, and a compost leachate basket. It features two aeration devices venturi nozzles and air-stonesfor diffusion of oxygen. EPM also makes a prepackaged microbial food/catalyst source for compost tea brewing (dry mix). EPM is a sister company to Worm Wigwam, and promotes vermicompostalso known as worm compostfor the production of compost teas.

Soil Soup, Inc. 9792 Edmonds Way #247 Edmonds, WA 98020 877-711-7687 Toll-Free 206-542-9304 Local 206-533-0748 Fax Farming@soilsoup.com http://www.soilsoup.com
The Soil Soup system consists of a polyethylene mixing tub, a synthetic felt compost bag, the BioBlender aeration pump, and the Soil Soup Nutrient Solution containing a microbial food/catalyst source (liquid mix). The regular systems come with 6.5-gallon, 12-

ComparaXtractor Compara Co. in The Netherlands Bob Baars +31 71 34 19873 office@compara.nl http://www.compara.nl/ Compost_Tea_Systems.htm/English
Compara is the biological farming company in The Netherlands managed by Bob Baars. The Xtractor seriesXtractor2, Xtractor10 , Xtractor20 is a Do-It-Yourself Kit with aeration and tubing components to make compost tea in 50-, 250- , and 500-gallon barrels or tanks, purchased locally by the grower. Compara ships the DIY Kits overseas. Compara also makes a pre-packaged microbial food/ catalyst source for compost tea brewing (dry mix).

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Soil Foodweb: Concepts, Microbial Analysis, Application

Humusand organic matter in its many formsprovides both food and shelter for soil organisms. Soils and composts contain a rich diversity of life. The soil foodweb is the community of micro- and macro-organisms that live in these environments. Essentially, compost tea production is a brewing process that extracts microorganisms from compost followed by microbial growth and multiplication. This includes beneficial bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes. When compost teas are sprayed onto the leaf surface, these beneficial organisms occupy spatial niches on the leaf surface and gobble up leaf exudates that pathogenic organisms would otherwise feed on to prosper; other microbes directly interfere with pathogenic organisms through antagonism. Ideally, compost teas contain both an Abundance (immense total number) and a Diversity (vast mixture) of beneficial microorganisms which perform different functions. Pathogenic organisms that land on the leaf surface simply cannot compete with the beneficial organisms and therefore have a greatly reduced chance to initiate disease in the first place. Dr. Elaine Ingham, a microbial ecologist in Corvallis, Oregon, has elevated our collective knowledge of the soil foodweb. In her graduate studies, as well as in her work as Associate Professor at Oregon State University, Ingham pioneered research into microbial analysis of soils, composts, and compost teas. Using the direct look method, she views and counts microorganisms with high-performance light microscopy enhanced with epifluorescent staining and illumination. In the late 1990s, she established a commercial lab known as Soil Foodweb, Inc. (SFI), thus providing a service that allows farmers and land managers to gain insight into the soil foodweb condition of their soils and composts.

Foliar-applied plant extracts, liquid manures, and compost teas can be further understood in the context of their influence on the rhizosphere and phyllosphere. These terms refer to those biologically-active regions surrounding the root surface and leaf surface where microbial communities exist. The enclosed PowerPoint slide showCompost Teas: A Tool for Rhizosphere+Phyllosphere Agricultureprovides a complementary introduction to this topic. In collaboration with the people who have onthe-ground experience with compost teas namely the organic farmers using compost teas and the manufacturers of compost tea brewing equipmentDr. Ingham and Soil Foodweb, Inc. have pioneered advancements in aerobic compost tea brewing on the West Coast. The following characteristics of a healthy soil foodweb, good-quality compost, and goodquality compost tea are based on her work.

Characteristics of a Healthy Soil Foodweb, per Gram of Soil:

600 million bacterial individuals; 15,000 to 20,000 bacterial species 150 to 300 meters of fungal biomass; 5,000 to 10,000 fungal species 10,000 protozoa 2030 beneficial nematodes: bacterial-feeding, fungal-feeding, predatory 200,000 arthropods per square meter

Minimum Standards for Compost (for Row Crop Plants), per Gram of Compost:
5070% 210 g 150300 g 210 g 150300 g 10,000 10,000 50100 1050 moisture active bacteria total bacteria active fungi total fungi flagellates amoebas ciliates beneficial nematodes

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Minimum Standards for Compost Tea, per Milli-Liter of Compost Tea:

10150 g 150300 g 210 g 520 g 1,000 1,000 2050 210 active bacteria total bacteria active fungi total fungi flagellates amoeba ciliates beneficial nematodes

Laboratories that Specialize in Microbial Analysis for Compost Teas

Soil Foodweb, Inc. 980 NW Circle Blvd Corvallis, OR 97330 541-752-5066 541-752-5142 Fax Contact: Elaine Ingham sfi@soilfoodweb.com http://www.soilfoodweb.com BBC Laboratories, Inc. 1217 North Stadem Dr. Tempe, AZ 85281 480-967-5931 480-967-5036 Fax Contact: Vicki Bess bbclabs@aol.com http://www.bbc-labs.com

The Soil Biology Primer is a landmark publication from the USDA on the living components of the soil. It provides a graphicsrich summary of the soil foodweb and relates foodweb health to soil health. It features individual chapters on soil bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, arthropods, and earthworms. Printed copies can be ordered through: Soil and Water Conservation Service at 1-800-THE-SOIL, or by email at <pubs@swcs.org>. An online version can be accessed at: Soil Biology Primer Soil Quality Institute, NRCS http://www.statlab.iastate.edu/survey/SQI/ SoilBiology/soil_biology_primer.htm

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Key Literature
Compost Tea Brewing Manual. 2000. By Elaine R. Ingham. Soil Foodweb, Inc., Corvallis, OR. 60 pages. $25 through SFI. http://www.soilfoodweb.com/multimedia/ compostteamanual.html
I highly recommend this manual to anybody who plans to make and use compost teas. It provides a practical summary of compost teas underpinned with a scientific understanding of applied microbiology. Includes: how to use compost teas; factors affecting compost tea quality; beneficial organisms; compost tea production methods; application methods; matching compost teas to plants and soils; bacterial- vs. fungal-dominated compost teas; compost tea recipes; microbial food resources for different microorganism groups; and experimental results.

Effectiveness of Compost Extracts as Disease Suppressants in Fresh Market Crops in British Columbia Sylvia Welke, OFRF Grant Report 9931 http://www.ofrf.org/publications/ Grant%20reports/99Spr.1of11.Welke9931.IB9.pdf
The full OFRF report reviewed above; a 10-page PDF download.

Compost Tea for Organic Farming and Gardening. 2001. By William Quarles. The IPM Practitioner. Vol. 23, No. 9 (September). p. 18.
The September 2001 issue of The IPM Practitionerthe monthly journal from BioIntegral Resource Centerfeatured compost teas. An 8-page reprint is available for $7.50 total through: Bio-Integral Resource Center (BIRC) P.O. Box 7414 Berkeley, CA 94707 510-524-2567 510-524-1758 Fax birc@igc.org http://www.birc.org

Organic Farming Research Foundation Information Bulletin No. 9, Winter 2001 http://www.ofrf.org/publications/news/ ib9.pdf
The Winter 2001 issue contains a special report on OFRF-funded compost tea research, pages 8 20. This is a 1,895K PDF file, so be patient waiting for it to download. Included among the items in the compost teas issue is Benefits of Compost Tea: A Review of the Research Literature. It lists 53 citations, but the full reportsee belowcontains 88 references in total. Other items include: Apparatus and Experimental Protocol for Organic Compost Teas, which describes and illustrates a homemade on-farm compost tea brewer; and Effectiveness of Compost Tea Extracts as Diseases Suppressants in Fresh Market Crops, which summarizes research on compost tea extracts applied to strawberries, lettuce, leeks, and broccoli in British Columbia.

Investigations into Liquid Compost Extracts (Teas) for the Control of Plant Pathogenic Fungi William F. Brinton and Andreas Trankner; a BioCycle conference paper http://www.woodsend.org/compost_tea.pdf
A 12-page PDF download, featuring the work of Dr. William Brinton of Woods End Research Laboratory in Maine.

Organic Teas from Composts and Manures Richard Merrill, OFRF Grant Report 9740 http://www.ofrf.org/publications/ Grant%20reports/97Fall.1of5a.Merrill9740.IB9.pdf
The full OFRF report reviewed above; a 51-page PDF download, with 88 literature references in the bibliography, Selected References for Organic Tea Extract Studies.

Compost Practices for Control of Grape Powdery Mildew (Uncinula necator) Andreas Trankner and William F. Brinton; a Biodynamic journal reprint http://www.woodsend.org/will2.pdf
An 8-page PDF download, featuring the work of Dr. William Brinton of Woods End Research Laboratory in Maine.

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Further Web Resources

BioCycle Reprints: Compost Teas and Compost Microbiology Understanding Compost Tea Vicki Bess, BioCycle, October 2000 http://www.jgpress.com/BCArticles/2000/ 100071.html Time for (Compost) Tea in the Northwest Adrienne Touart, BioCycle, October 2000 http://www.jgpress.com/BCArticles/2000/ 100074.html Brewing Up Solutions To Pest Problems Lisa Wickland, Todd Murray and Joyce Jimerson, BioCycle, March 2001 http://www.jgpress.com/BCArticles/2001/ 030164.html Evaluating Microbiology of Compost Vicki Bess, BioCycle, May 1999 http://www.jgpress.com/BCArticles/1999/ 0599Art4.htm Using Compost To Control Plant Diseases Tom De Ceuster and Harry Hoitink, BioCycle, June 1999 http://www.jgpress.com/BCArticles/1999/ 0699Art5.htm Anaerobic Bacteria and Compost Tea Elaine Ingham; a BioCycle reprint http://www.soilfoodweb.com/anaerobic.html Microbial Profiles: Fine-tuning the Soil Foodweb Karen Grobe; a BioCycle reprint, January 1998 http://www.soilfoodweb.com/biocycle1.html

Compost Microbiology Compost Microbiology and the Soil Food Web California Integrated Waste Management Board http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/publications/ default.asp?pubid=857 http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/publications/ Organics/44200013.doc
6-page MS-Word download.

Microbial Activity and Diversity of Soils and Composts Vicki Bess, BBC Laboratories,Tempe, AZ http://www.bbclabs.com/toppage3.htm Dr. Elaine Ingham: The Soil Foodweb & Compost Teas The Soil Foodweb Elaine Ingham, Soil Foodweb, Inc. http://www.soilfoodweb.com/thesfw.html Soil Foodweb Information Elaine Ingham, Soil Foodweb, Inc. http://www.soilfoodweb.com/sfwinfo.html The Soil Foodweb Structure Elaine Ingham, Soil Foodweb, Inc. http://www.soilfoodweb.com/ sfwstructure.html Foodweb Funtions in a Living Soil: The Benefits to Plants and Soils Elaine Ingham, Soil Foodweb, Inc. http://www.soilfoodweb.com/ foodwebfunc.html Soil Organisms: Why Are They Important? Elaine Ingham; article reprint at Compara.nl http://www.compara.nl/soil_organisms.htm The Soil Foodweb: Its Importance in Ecosystem Health Elaine Ingham; article reprint at Dont Panic Eat Organic http://www.rain.org/~sals/ingham.html

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Dr. Inghams Monthly E-Zine http://www.soilfoodweb.com/ezine.html

Note: The SFI E-Zine is a great place to keep up with Dr. Elaine Inghams latest comments and notes on compost teas.

Controlling the Compost Process: CompostAmended Potting Mixes Ohio State University, Fact Sheet CDFS-160 H. A. J. Hoitink, M. J. Boehm, J. E. Heimlich http://ohioline.osu.edu/cd-fact/0160.html Compost and Disease Suppression Bibliography on Compost for Disease Suppression Chloe Ringer, USDA Soil Microbial Lab http://ncatark.uark.edu/~steved/compostdisease-biblio.html Disease Suppressive Potting Mixes Steve Diver, ATTRA http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/ dspotmix.html Sustainable Management of Soil-borne Plant Diseases Preston Sullivan, ATTRA http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/ soilborne.html Suppressing Plant Diseases with Compost David Granatstein; The Compost Connection for Washington Agriculture, No. 5, October 1997 http://csanr.wsu.edu/compost/newsletter/ compcon5.html On-Farm Composting: Plant Disease Control / On-Farm Composting - A Review of the Literature Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/sustain/ compost/plantdisease.html Composts for Disease Suppression UConn Integrated Pest Management http://www.hort.uconn.edu/ipm/general/ htms/composts.htm Microbial Ecology of Compost-induced Disease Suppression Eric Nelson, et al.; Proceedings of the 5th International PGPR Workshop http://www.ag.auburn.edu/argentina/ pdfmanuscripts/nelson.pdf

Anaerobic Bacteria and Compost Tea Elaine Ingham; a BioCycle reprint http://www.soilfoodweb.com/anaerobic.html Brewing Compost Tea Elaine Ingham; A Kitchen Gardener reprint http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/ pages/g00030.asp Web Resource Collections on Soil Biology Sustainable Soil Management: Web Links to Make Your Worms Happy! Steve Diver, ATTRA http://ncatark.uark.edu/~steved/soillinks.html Soil Biology Information Resources For Land Managers, Resource Professionals, and Educators Soil Quality Institute, NRCS http://www.statlab.iastate.edu/survey/SQI/ SBinfo.htm Compost Specialists: David Granatstein & Harry Hoitink Suppressing Plant Diseases with Compost David Granatstein; The Compost Connection for Washington Agriculture, No. 5, October 1997 http://csanr.wsu.edu/compost/newsletter/ compcon5.html Foliar Disease Control Using Compost Tea David Granatstein, The Compost Connection for Western Agriculture, No. 8, January 1999 http://csanr.wsu.edu/compost/newsletter/ Cc8.PDF Compost Teas and Liquid Humus David Granatstein, CERWA http://www2.aste.usu.edu/compost/qanda/ teas.htm

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Disease Suppressive Compost as an Alternative to Methyl Bromide Methyl Bromide Alternative Case Study, EPA 430-R-97-030 10 Case Studies, Volume 3, September 1997 http://www.epa.gov/spdpublc/mbr/ compost3.html Compost Teas: Regional Reports Compost Tea Trials Final Report Submitted to Office of Environmental Management, City of Seattle. Cascadia Consulting Group, March 8, 2001 http://www.cityofseattle.net/environment/ Documents/ Final%20Compst%20Tea%20report.pdf
A 53-page PDF download

Evaluation of Compost Facility Runoff for Beneficial Reuse, Phase 2 Clean Washington Center http://cwc.org/organics/organic_htms/ cm981rpt.htm http://www.cwc.org/organics/org981rpt.pdf
39-page PDF download. Phase 2 report on the compost leachate reuse project.

Compost Teas: Popular Press Brewing Compost Tea Elaine R. Ingham; A Kitchen Gardener reprint http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/ pages/g00030.asp Bainbridge Island: Healing the Earth Sue Edwards, The SUN newspaper of Bremerton, Washington, February 2000 http://www.thesunlink.com/news/2000/ february/0211a10a.html Compost Tea Allows Gardeners to Brew Greener Pastures Steve Hill, University Week, University of Washington http://depts.washington.edu/uweek/ archives/2001.03.MAR_08/article9.html Wake Up Your Garden With Compost Tea Kathy LaLiberte, The Innovative Gardener, July 2001 http://www.vg.com/gardening/igjuly01.asp Making Fermented Compost Tea Natural Life Magazine #44 http://www.life.ca/nl/44/compost.html From The Garden: Oxygen-Rich Compost Tea Can Help Ward Off Summers Water Blues Ann Lovejoy, Thursday, March 15, 2001, Special to the Post-Intelligencer http://seattlep-i.nwsource.com/nwgardens/ lovejoy15x.shtml Feed Your Foodweb: Compost Tea Strengthens Plants, Defends Against Disease Rachel Foster, Eugene Weekly http://www.eugeneweekly.com/gardens/ gardens01.html

Alternatives for Use & Management of Compost Tea Clean Washington Center http://cwc.org/organics/cm002.htm
Access to HTML and PDF versions

Evaluation and Prioritization of Compost Facility Runoff Management Methods Clean Washington Center http://cwc.org/organics/organic_htms/ cm002rpt.htm http://cwc.org/organics/org002rpt.pdf
53-page PDF download. Report addresses the reuse of a pasteurized compost leachate from city zoo for use as a tea to fertilize crops. The liquid plant food, a compost tea product called Zoo Broo, will be marketed along with the zoos other compost product, Zoo Doo.

Evaluation of Compost Tea for Reuse Opportunities (1997 & 1998) Clean Washington Center http://cwc.org/organics/cm981.htm
Access to HTML and PDF versions

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Compost Teas: Research Reports Response of Alternaria spp. Blight and Septoria spp. Leaf Spot to Biological Disease Control Agents in Tomatoes Jeremy Barker Plotkin; OFRF on-farm research report http://www.ofrf.org/scoar/plotkin.PDF Compost Cures All James Saper (from Sustainable Farming Magazine, Summer 1997, Vol. 7 No. 3) http://www.genesis.ca/whatsnew_5.html Peach Brown Rot Study at Woodleaf Farm, Oroville, CA Carl Rosato; OFRF on-farm research report http://www.agroecology.org/cases/ brownrot/studies.htm North Coast Apple Scab Trials 1993/1994, Organic and Conventional Materials Comparison Paul Vossen and Doug Gubler; reprint from UC Plant Protection Quarterly http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/newsltr/ v7n4/sa-8.htm University Research Midwest Biosystems, Tampico, IL http://www.aeromasterequipment.com/ research.html Compost Tea and Blossom Brown Rot Washington State University http://depts.washington.edu/mulch/ research/

Compost Teas: The Worm Digest Quarterly A Homemade Compost Tea Brewer S. Zorba Frankel, The Worm Digest http://www.wormdigest.org/articles/ index.cgi?read=66 Compost Teas: Brewing a Sweet Blend Kelly Slocum, The Worm Digest http://www.wormdigest.org/articles/ index.cgi?read=65 Compost Teas: Complementary ATTRA Resources Compost Teas for Plant Disease Control The 1998 ATTRA publication http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/ comptea.html Compost Teas: A Tool for Rhizosphere+ Phyllosphere Agriculture http://ncatark.uark.edu/~steved/composttea-slides.pdf

By Steve Diver NCAT Agriculture Specialist Edited by Richard Earles Formatted by Ronda Vaughan March 2002
IP118

The electronic version of Notes on Compost Teas: A Supplement to the ATTRA Publication Compost Teas for Plant Disease Control is located at: HTML http://www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/compost-tea-notes.html PDF http://www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/compost-tea-notes.pdf

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Compost Teas: A Tool for Rhizosphere + Phyllosphere Agriculture slide notes

Steve Diver ATTRA Fayetteville, AR

Rhizosphere II ncatark.uark.edu/~steved/ www.attra.org 800-346-9140 steved@attra.org

Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas

Funded by USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service
ATTRA is an NCAT-SARD project ...

Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development Program

Compost Teas: A Tool for Rhizosphere + Phyllosphere Agriculture

What are they Whats in it Benefits and uses How do you make them How do you use them

Liquid Organic Extracts vs Compost Teas

Manure Tea:
Manure-based extracts

Herbal Tea:
Plant-based extracts; E.g., nettle, horse tail, comfrey, chamomile, clover

Liquid Manures:
Fermented mixture of plants, fish, seaweed extracts

Plant material soaking in water, herbal tea preparation

Stinging nettle herb tea, with BD preps

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Liquid Organic Extracts vs Compost Teas

Compost Leachate:
Compost windrow leachate

Compost Extract:
Compost watery extract

Compost Tea:
Compost watery extract brewed with microbial food source -- molasses, kelp, rock dust, humic-fulvic acids
Herbal tea barrels buried in ground, a biodynamic practice

Components of Compost Tea

Soluble nutrients Humic substances Bacteria Fungi Nematodes Protozoa Microbial metabolites Goal = maximum diversity of good guys

Benefits of Compost Teas

Inoculate rhizosphere = soil drench Inoculate phyllosphere = foliar spray Occupy plant surface with beneficial organisms = colonization Beneficials use exudates & microbial food sources = competition Biocontrol = antagonism, induced resistance Soluble nutrients, growth-promoting substances, metabolites

Rhizosphere Benefits for Microorganisms

Root Excretions 1. Amino acids 2. Organic acids 3. Carbohydrates = Sugars 4. Nucleic acids 5. Growth factors 6. Sloughed-off tissue Key: Food + energy for microbes

Distribution of micro-organisms in the rhizosphere

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French bean leaf surface; The Phyllosphere CMM, The University of Queensland

Trichomes + glandular secretion, Lavendar leaf CMM, The University of Queensland

Active Components in Compost Tea

Yeasts:

Sporobolomyces, Cryptococcus

Compost Teas as a Natural Fungicide

Gray mold on beans, strawberry Botrytis cinerea Downy & powdery mildew on grapes Plasmopora viticola, Uncinula necator Apple scab Venturia conidia Late blight of potato, tomato Phytopthera infestans

Bacteria: Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Serratia, Penicillium, Etc .. Fungi: Key:

Trichoderma, Gliocladium, Etc ..

1. Microbial Abundance + Biodiversity 2. Components of a healthy soil foodweb 3. Beneficial bacteria, fungi, nematodes, protozoa

Chemical antagonists: phenols, amino acids

Compost Tea Production Methods

Bucket-Fermentation Method: [aerobic + anaerobic] Compost in burlap sack immersed in water, compost extract vs compost tea -----------------------------------------Bucket-Bubbler Method: [aerated = aerobic] Small-scale buckets, aquarium air bubbler Trough Method: Farm-size tanks, sump pumps and trickle lines Commercial Tea Brewers: Small- to Large-scale Tank, pump, aeration, leachate sock or basket

Brewing a Compost Tea

Bacterial tea = Foliar spray Bacterial compost Simple sugars = Molasses, cane syrup, apple juice, yeasts Kelp Plant extracts (yucca, nettle, comfrey) Fungal tea = Soil drench Fungal compost Humic acid Kelp Yucca extract

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Example Compost Tea Recipe Michael Blakely, Carnation, WA

Initial recipe: 100 gallons water 10 gallons compost Add: 1 lb cold pressed kelp powder 1 lb Mermaid fish powder 1 gallon molasses 1 gallon barley malt Experimental: Soluble phosphate, humic acid, raw milk, yucca extract

Compost tea brewing tank, 4,000 gallons, California

Compost tea brewing: pumping, trickling, aeration, California

Compost tea brewing, 500 lbs compost, molasses, etc., California

Compost tea brewing, Carl Rosato, California

6.5-gallon compost tea brewer, Soil Soup

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Bioblender + compost sack, Soil Soup

30-gallon compost tea brewer, Soil Soup

12, 50, 500-gallon compost tea brewers, Microb Brewer

Compost tea leachate basket, Microb Brewer

100-gallon compost tea brewer, Growing Solutions

100-gallon compost tea brewer, EPM, Inc.

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Commerical Compost Tea Brewers

Growing Solutions, Inc. www.growingsolutions.com Soil Soup, Inc. www.soilsoup.com Microb Brewer www.microbbrewer.com Earth Tea Brewer / EPM, Inc. www.composttea.com Xtractor / Compara www.compara.nl/Compost_Tea_Systems.htm/English

500-gallon compost tea brewer, EPM, Inc.

Minimum Standards for Compost Tea, per ML

10-150 g 150-300 g 2-10 g 5-20 g 1,000 1,000 20-50 2-10 active bacteria total bacteria active fungi total fungi flagellates amoebae ciliates beneficial nematodes

Compost Tea Application

Foliar 70% leaf coverage 5 gallons per acre, straight or diluted Seed Treatments Mist or soak seeds prior to planting Soil Drench Apply at transplant and seedling stages Apply to base of full-grown plants

Source: Dr. Inghams Monthly E-Zine

http://www.soilfoodweb.com/ezine.html

Resources on Compost Tea

The Compost Tea Brewing Manual Elaine Ingham, Soil Foodweb, Inc. www.soilfoodweb.com Organic Farming Research Foundation Information Bulletin, Winter 2001, No. 9 www.ofrf.org Special report on compost teas, pages 8-20 Compost Teas for Plant Disease Control Steve Diver, ATTRA www.attra.org/attra-pub/comptea.html Notes on Compost Tea Steve Diver, ATTRA www.attra.org/attra-pub/compost-tea-notes.html

Six Ways to View Soil Food Webs

1. Elaine Ingham, Soil Foodweb, Inc. 2. De Ruiter, et al. 1993. J. Appl. Ecol. 30: 95-106. 3. Soil Quality Information Sheet: Soil Biodiversity NRCS Soil Quality Institute 4. Michigan Field Crop Pest Ecology and Management, MSU Extension Bulletin E-2704 5. GLIDE, Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University 6. Soil Biology Primer, NRCS Soil Quality Institute

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Acknowledgement
Slide: Plant material soaking in water, herbal tea preparation Eliot Colemans European Farm Tour

Acknowledgement
Diagram: Distribution of micro-organisms in the rhizosphere Giddens, J. and R.L. Todd. 1984. Rhizosphere microorganisms - overview. p. 51-68. MicrobialPlant Interactions. ASA Special Publication No. 47. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, WI.

Acknowledgement
Leaf surface images: The Phyllosphere Nanoworld CMM - Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Queensland www.uq.edu.au/nanoworld/images_1.html

Acknowledgement
Compost tea recipe: Michael Blakely, Carnation, WA Blakely, Michael. 2001. Compost tea - my experience. Washington Tilth. Vol. 9, No. 1. p. 12-13.

Acknowledgement
Compost tea brewers: Soil Soup Microb Brewer System 100, Growing Solutions Earth Tea Brewer, EPM Photos used with permission

Presentation Source Compost Teas: A Tool for Rhizosphere + Phyllosphere Agriculture

By Steve Diver, ATTRA Presented at: Mountain Organic Growers School March 17, 2001 Asheville, North Carolina Updated: January, 2002

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