The thing I keep in mind when using compost tea is that the level of organic matter in my soil is more important than what is in my compost tea. Thus, I first keep an adequate level of finished compost within my soil as my foundation before I decide on what ingredients my compost tea will possess. That being said, if you are talking about aerobic compost tea, building up the level of bacteria could be the first focus. Since fungus levels are created within the compost pile, good quality compost is a wise base to start with. Adding molasses will build up bacteria levels, while active aeration will free fungus from the compost into the tea. From this point what nutritional components the microbes will consume can be addressed. Weather these microbes are of any benefit on the surface of the plant is a continuing debate; however, I choose to leave that matter for a later date. From the "Steve Solomon" formula for homemade fertilizer I add alfalfa meal (nitrogen), kelp meal (potash and trace elements), bone meal (phosphorus), lime (calcium), and molasses. From the compost (humus) I want to extract fulvic acid and the microbes. After 8 hours I use the tea as a soil drench, giving each plant ¼ gallon of tea. After 24 hours I use the tea as a foliar spray, misting each plant on both the inner and outer layer of the leaf and stem of the plant. Finally, I always keep in mind that plants are not like humans; plants will only consume what they need and no more. All nutrients not used by the plants are stored within the humus found in the soil. If needed at a later date, the microbes can retrieve those nutrients for the plants stored within the humus. Leaching is of a minimum due to the nature of humus, thus almost nothing is wasted in organic gardening. The key, again IMO, is the level of organic matter found within the soil Blutranes

Epsom salts add magnesium to the soil in a form that is available to the plants in alkaline soil. It will also lower the pH a small amount. It may not be a good idea to add to a vegetable garden since too much magnesium can be a problem in vegetables (if the plants need it, you can add a little, but be more careful around vegetables). If your plants have magnesium deficiencies, Epsom salt can help provide the magnesium they need. If you search chlorosis and magnesium, you should be able to find pictures of plants that are suffering magnesium deficiencies. It may be difficult to tell the difference between magnesium deficiencies and iron deficiencies, so try to find information on both.

Ntbio said, Ingham herself recommends as much as 2# per acre of sulfur addition using humate on her product page (she sells this at a bizarre cost I see!), and Ingham sells humate. Can you please provide a link? Seriously, I can't find it. Humate contains sulfur. and 1 acre of corn containes ~20# of sulfur. I have no problem with natural forms of sulfur. As you said, everything needs sulfur to live. When the formerly living things die and decompose, their sulfur is recycled naturally. That's a good thing in my book. magnesium sulfate is a natural occuring compound in the soil. I can't find anything on this. I would be surprised if it were true, because salt ions usually dissolve in water leaving no sign of the original compound. Sometimes they form crystals, but not normally in regular soil. google: sulfur deficiency in soil I did. Here are the four hits I got. I'm not sure what your point was since they are not talking about magnesium sulfate. However, your garden is your business. And, if you continue to add non NOP compliant products and mis apply information you do no service to the promotion of organic lawn care. This is really getting weird. Where did I add non NOP products? Paragraph 205.605 allows magnesium chloride. I just mentioned it as a preferred way to get magnesium. Can you help me understand what I said to mis apply information? Secondly, there is no such thing as a certified organic lawn. Organic certification only applies to crops or livestock for sale. Organic lawn care is only a hobby. You can interpret it your way and I'll interpret mine my way. Along the way I reply to messages where I think I can shed some light. Your creation of your own personal interpretation of NOP to suit yourself only misinforms. The information I have is backed up by some research and some practical experience. I've tried to find information to back up your statements and I cannot. I asked you for help to back up your statements but you seem to be resisting. Most importantly to this thread, I'm still wondering if there is any evidence to show sulfur and/or sulfates are not harmful to microbes. The fact that sulfur is used as a fungicide should be enough said on that subject. Further, you have no place on an organic lawn forum whereby you recommend non organic products. It is your /Ingham blanket statements / misinformation / bad math kind of information that gives organic programs a bad reputation....legitimate compost tea producers also suffer at irresponsible talk like yours. Is anything in this sentence true about me? I'm not thrilled about recommending magnesium chloride but it is on the NOP list of approved synthetics. Misinformation? I'm the one posting back-up sources for my information. Bad math? Please correct any math errors. Bad rep for organic programs? I like to think I'm responsible in part for a growing interest in organic lawn care. Several years ago I wrote a FAQ for a simplified, inexpensive, fully organic lawn care program. That FAQ has been downloaded at least 20,000 times from three organic lawn forums, two of which I moderated. It's not exactly a million seller, but it's a start. Compost tea producers? They're the ones I get my compost tea info from. I know several commercial producers and have visited their facilities. One of my CT information sources makes 73,000 gallons per year. She's a student of Dr Ingham and is fully onboard with these comments. You have every right to produce your version of "organic" (there is a definition of organic by NOP standards you know)compost tea ans use non organic products because in your estimation they are organic. But in every case you are fraudulent. Puh-leeze! Sulfer defiency is a serious issue and one the organic industry is aware of...it effects many functions in a plant... I'm just asking you to back up your statements. I can't find the evidence to support you. I agree sulfur affects growth and plant development, but I don't agree it is a good idea to apply chemical sources of it. You've mentioned two natural sources. That's good enough for me.

I may be mistaken, but I think the salt in Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate. It adds magnesium and sulfur and has a slight acidifying effect (but not as much as soil sulfur has). If your soil already has enough Mg in it, the additional Mg could impact the salinity, but I think the salinity in our soils comes more from other sources.