No, but a Russian has convinced me to make botulism in my house, and he has almost convinced me to drink it.

We've come a long way since the Cold War of my youth.

WHAT??? What is that suppose to mean?????

Some of us are making kvas and pouring it on our plants. I can't tell any difference, though, so far, between my kvas plants and my others.

Yes, I've made compost tea, and seaweed teas, and I'm pouring kefir on my plants now, too. I like using teas, although I'm not sure if I've seen any spectacular results that planting in compost doesn't also produce.

It is good to try the teas and stuff, but nothing can replace the effect of lots of organic compost and stuff over years to build SOIL. Thats what grows good gardens.

YAH,,thats what I thought annpat !! First NO,,and then Yes, with a totally different answer. LIke I suspected, you were being rude. This is the first question I have posted in over 6 months,,,,and that is what I get for a response. That is just great !...Don't answer my posts if you can't control yourself and your ignorant responses.

I have used worm casting tea several times this season. I read studies done by a Clive Edwards from Ohio State and it got me interested.

Right now I am brewing another batch for direct fertilization of my potato plants.

I do not use sugars for a couple reasons. First, Edwards thinks it may propogate any pathogens present and warns against it. Secondly, I figure the microbes I want to propogate are those that consume/breakdown cellulose and macrostarches not simple sugars like yeast does.

So my basic formula is simple-2 cups of worm castings in 5 gallons of water and aerate for at least 24 hours. If I add anything else it is a little urine as a direct nitrogen source.

As a side note, I enjoy the banter and smart-ass answers on this forum...

I have a confession to make.

I was all excited when I started my compost 3 years ago in my new yard/house. I then went to a very swanky organic gardening place and bought a gallon of ($8.00) compost tea and rushed straight home to pour it on my compost. I still laugh at myself for doing that.

This board has taught me SOOO many things!

I posted late last night and did not answer the original question-about if the tea worked. To tell the truth I did not want to use it only part of my garden and find that it worked well and SHOULD have been treating the whole thing (and waste a year). So I do not know if my garden has done better.

However, I have a hardy hibiscus that has fallen victim every year to some kind of small worm from a little fly. The leaves are eaten to lace. This year after a few applications of tea sprayed directly to drench the leaves, I am not having that problem. The question is did the tea help? or is it something else that has stopped the flies? Or have they just not found the plant yet?

Yes, that was confusing. I have made teas, but merely from steeping seaweed, manures, and compost, never the way you are with aeration and molasses. The kvas is made with molasses, but does not use aeration.

bluelake! Hah!

Annpat, shame on you!
You drink too much vodka!

Good recipe of kvas to you:

1. Grind rice in coffee grinder
2. Add 10 tablespoons of that stuff into gallon of water
3. Wait 2 days
4. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar to it
5 Wait 1 day

7. Pour out the stuff in bottles, close them

8. Add water to vessel and 1 tablespoon of sugar again

9. Wait 1 day

10. Pour out the stuff in bottles, close them

11. Add water to vessel and 1 tablespoon of sugar again

12. Wait 1 day

13. Pour out the stuff in bottles, close them

14. Add water to vessel and 1 tablespoon of sugar again

15. Wait 1 day

And so on...

And of couse, what is in bottles could be drunked.

And after that...if you'll not be killed...
Let us know...

I want to say you that it is a very powefull weapon not only against Cold War but against alcoholism too.

Trusted.

By 1000 years of Russian's history!

Hah!! Valerie!

I'll try it again.

I messed up the first recipe, by incorporating the molasses too soon. You would not have wanted me to drink that first batch, I promise.

Annpat,

There are 2 forces of Nature.

They are evident:

1. The force of the life
2. The force of the death.

These 2 forces act on different levels, beginning from microbes and up to spiritual level of the man.

In mordern science they are called regenerative and degenerative forces.

They are clearly seen in human's drinkings.

Since our history is 10 000 years old, we all know about it very well! (Think about whisky)

All drinkings have been devorced in history according to the law of regenerative/degenerative.

In Nature of microbes these 2 forces are presented mainly by two groups of microorganisms:

1. Lactic acid bacteria
2. Yeasts

Yeasts make alcohol and thus have degenarative influence on man's spirit.

But, fortunately, there are lactic acid bacteria having regenerative effect.

Kvas is anti-dot to vodka, so-to-speak.

I know what I am talking about!

I understand.
(And as you said, if I live after drinking my first batch, I'll let you know how it was.)

Let me know befor the drinking to consult with my advocate.

Hah!

Seriously, you have 3 days.
Then, post here and be a sacrifice of the science!

A 'guinea pig'. Sacrifice of Science sounds too ominous.

Ok! I'll report back on your thread in the Organic Gardening forum---if I'm able.

I think that you'll be able.
That's I think.

I never have done a experiment where I sprayed some plants with compost tea, and had others for comparison. I spray them all every three weeks or so, and hope for the best.

I seem to have less wilt and blight than other nearby tomato growers, but that could be due to a number of factors. I use compost as mulch, space the plants further apart than anyone else, cut off affected leaves, and try to maintain max space between the ground and bottom tom leaves. No one else nearby does this. One woman bought 20 patio tom plants and put them container against container.

Compost tea is one of a number of things that can improve things. But the best tomato year I ever had was when I put three bluegill in the bottom of the hole when planting.

If you want great tasting toms in October, the best advice I could give is to plant some cherry tomatoes. The big fruit toms don't taste like much in the fall.

Flowersnhens, I've read good things about using seaweed teas as a pest repelling foliar spray. I have always used my seeped, seaweed "teas" as foliar sprays, but I've always just gone ahead and sprayed all the plants I encountered before my tea ran out. I was never disciplined enough to do a controlled study.