Garden Tea Co.

s Actively Aerated Compost Tea Guidelines

- *Use chlorine free water: Microbes in compost teas are highly sensitive to antimicrobial agents such as preservatives and chlorine in municipal water sources. - If you have a municipal water source you will want to evaporate as much of the chlorine as possible. This can be achieved by allowing your water to sit in your brewer without a lid for several hours or use your air pump and diffuser to evaporate the chlorine in a shorter period of time. Rain water is a great alternative to the tap. - Maintain Constant Temperature: - High temps; kill microbes, Low temps; microbial activity slows - Ambient air temp (aka; room temperature) works well. - Place brewer in a warm shaded spot outdoors. - Avoid direct sunlight. Ultraviolet rays can kill microbes. - *Aquarium heater can be used to maintain constant temps. - Ensure a quality extraction: Compost and other ingredients added to the brewer can be contained in a filter bag or allowed to float freely throughout the brewing process and filtered later if necessary. - Customize teas for the intended plant types, disease, or pest: - Bacterially, Balanced (equal Bacteria to Fungi), or Fungal dominated - Brew Time: - Brew times can vary from 12 - 48 hrs. - *24 - 36 hrs. is best for most brews - Apply teas as soon as possible: - Teas are best if used within 72 hours of removal from brewer - Teas can be refrigerated for up to 30 days. (allow teas to slowly return to room temp prior to use) - Apply mycorrhizal fungi spores at the end of brew cycle prior to application: - Mycorrhizal fungi are a bit more fragile than bacterium and should only be added to teas after the brewing process has completed. - Clean Brewer immediately after each brew: (remove all bio-slime residue) - Thoroughly clean brewer vessel, hoses, air diffusers. - Use dish soap and a scrub brush. - A 3% Hydrogen Peroxide solution or a solution with 5% baking soda can be used to remove all residue known as bio-slime.

Actively Aerated Compost Tea Application Guidelines

- You can never apply too much compost tea: - Repeated applications of compost teas will help to increase diversity and populations of beneficial microbes. - Apply as: - Soil Drench (soil and root inoculant) - Apply 5 Gallons per acre. - Apply from the base of plant as far out as the plants drip line - Foliar Spray (leaf inoculant) - Use a clean hand pump or pressurized sprayer - Do not exceed 70 psi (slow dispersion is better) - Spray pattern should be broad and non forceful (no splattering) - Teas must come 70% of leaf surface for maximum effectiveness - Apply 10 gallons per acre - Avoid spraying in full sun or on fuzzy-leafed plants, like African violets. - Use Plastic watering vessels (bacteria will impact zinc in metal) - Apply either before 10:00am or after 6:00pm regardless of cloud cover - Ultraviolet rays from the Sun can kill microbes. - Apply teas as soon as possible: - Teas are best if used within 72 hours of removal from brewer - Teas can be refrigerated for up to 30 days. (allow teas to slowly return to room temp prior to use) - Apply mycorrhizal fungi spores to watering vessel prior to application: - Mycorrhizal fungi are a bit more fragile than bacterium and should only be added to teas prior to application. - Clean watering vessels immediately after each application: (remove all tea and or bio-slime residue) - Thoroughly clean watering vessel, hoses, sprayers and the like. - Use dish soap and a scrub brush or a strong stream of water as needed. - A 3% Hydrogen Peroxide solution or a solution with 5% baking soda can be used to remove all residue known as bio-slime. The home brewing of actively aerated compost teas provide a healthy alternative to toxic chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides.