Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Chatting => Equipment Shed => Topic started by: infowarrior on November 27, 2012, 21:55
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I'm looking for a good compost tea machine but all the good ones I've found online are from America. Does anyone know of any makers/suppliers of decent compost tea machines in this country? I know you can make them yourself with airstones of which I've had one for a while but in my opinion they just don't create enough air to make good quality tea.
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How are you getting on with your compost tea search?
Sounds quite amazing to me.
I love tea but only the traditional type - strong, milk and 2 sugars! ;)
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The ones I've found online up to now are stupidly priced so I reckon I'm just going to make one myself when I get the time and money for the equipment like a decent air pmup etc. I reckon compost/wormcast teas are definatley the way forward in organic growing. These are some of the ones I've found online up to now.
http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/Product.asp?PG=1179
http://www.symbio.co.uk/default.aspx
http://www.composttea.com/earth_tea_brewers1.htm
http://www.smartbugs.com.au/_webapp_1445093/1000_litre_SmartBug_Brewer
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It all looks very clever stuff but I'm relying on my huge compost heap as well as the odd sprinkle of chicken manure pellets.
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Most people who brew compost tea find that aquarium pumps and stones do a good job, but you must also pay attention to other factors. I got a heavy duty used pump with dual lines to split off to use 4 large aerating stones. Once brewed, the tea needs to be used within a few hours. Also, worm castings are superior to compost for tea quality.
There's some very good info in THIS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqtD3DZV9iM) video.
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Worm castings arn't necessarily better than compost for making the tea, it just depends on what crop it's to be used on. Depends on if the crop prefers a more fungal tea or a more bacterial rich tea. Normally you'll use both but change quantities etc to suit.