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tutorial Beginner's guide to AACT/Compost Tea

holyhotpeppers said:
First batch of brew ever!! My recipe..
Two hand fulls of worm castings
Some Molasses (just poured what looked good)
Crushed Crab Shell (small hand full)
Peruvian Seabird guano (small hand full)
Fish/Kelp emulsion (large dribble)
Extreme Myocorrhizae (just a little bit)

24 hours later... WOOT!
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This thread has really got me exited about feeding my plants now. Not too hard to throw all your different goodies into a sack and wait a day to have some brew for your babies! If only brewing beer was this easy!
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Nice job!! I understand your excitement too. After reading through this thead months ago i can't wait to get my first batch of AACT made and use it this year. Having brewed beer for many years I figure this one brewing won't be so bad either. Cheers and hope it brings you great results!!
 
Cayennemist said:
Found this thought I'd share.




I got my son a Bearded Dragon for Christmas and they love these little guys. So I found a easy tutorial to farm them, and then it hit me... MEALWORM TEA!!! the article above was the results of the first google search.
link Sure it is a link from a unreliable source, but I still feel like it is worth invetigating.
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Well... Apparently I wasn't the first person to think of this, found this on CL.
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Frass has been filtered through a fine screen that sifts it apart from the worm bedding. Incorporated in frass is a key ingredient called chitin. It is a microbial inoculant when used as fertilizer, or soil amendment. Chitin promotes plant health and essentially boosts the plant's immune system, allowing the plant to defend itself against pests, root rot, grey mold, powdery mildew, blight, and fungal pathogens. It does not attract any harmful or unwanted bugs or pests to your plants. Insect frass is a natural fertilizer containing high nutrient levels and is a great source of food for your plants.

To use insect frass, mix about 1 cup into a gallon of potting soil, then water the soil to allow the frass to dissolve.

To feed flowers, sprinkle frass on the surface of the soil once a week, then add water to help the soil soak up the frass.

FRASS
1/2 pound - $8.00
1 pound - $14.00
2 pounds - $22.50
3 pounds - $32.25
4 pounds - $40.00
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Cayennemist said:
Well... Apparently I wasn't the first person to think of this, found this on CL.
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Interesting...Similar to what I was using with the Crab Shell

from their website Neptune's Harvest Organic Crab Shell is an excellent dry organic source of NPK, Calcium (23%) and Magnesium (1.33%). It will also help with nematode and fungus problems. Here's why: Crab Shell is high in Chitin (Kite-en), which promotes the growth of Chitin eating bacteria in the soil.

The exoskeletons of fungus and nematode eggs are high in chitin. When added to the soil crab shell helps to create a hostile environment for the fungus and nematodes by feeding the biological life that eats chitin and chitin based organisms. Still have Questions? No Problem, Ask for Sandy @ 1-800-259-4769 [GROW] M-F 10-4 est.

Crab Shell can be applied with our Kelp Meal to increase organic matter and retain moisture in the soil.
 
Eureka! I found it.
I worked me arse off last year digging compost and sand into clay soil to build raised beds. The results were good, but not spectacular. Mainly, I built it and planted it the next day. I knew the amended soil would get better and better as long as I kept feeding it a little more than I took out of it each crop. But I'll bet AACT is the link I've been missing between available soil nutrients and maximum plant uptake, I guess it would develop naturally with time. So maybe I'll help it along a bit.

Already got my parts and probably enough ingredients. Gonna start brewing enough to drench all my raised beds and pepper babes when they sprout.

Thanks to everyone here.
 
I'm getting my AACT together!

first batch

fresh chickweed w/roots
compost
dried nettles
oak leaf duff(mold)
old oak bark
worm casting
alfalfa pellets
dried seaweed
molasses
G.O. Bio-Marine
ginseng dried leaf and root
and old oyster shell for good luck

total volume -about 2-3 fist fulls

Fresh rainwater
I'm starting it cold, but have a heater on it. May have to move it inside if it doesn't warm enough today.

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I've been meaning to as this question about how plants feed for a while now but I did try to research first. Unfortunately, I didn't find any solid answer so maybe anyone can help.

I do know that plants feed on ionic level and they use photosynthesis to fuel growth and fruit setting. Now my question is, when I feed my plants with the brew, does that brew actually have the nutrients the plants need? OR just the beneficial bacteria that produces the nutrients in the soil?

I'm a bit confused (botanically speaking) of exactly what happens to the tea as soon as it hits the soil.

Any info will be very much appreciated.
 
locopao said:
I got one quick question for you guys.

Can i use apple peels, banana peels, pear peels and coffe grounds?
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apple peels YES
pear peels YES
Both are good sources of sugars to feed your AACT. I have used both with good results.

The rest, just through in to a compost bin. Coffee is a bit high in acid and may or may not kill the bacteria. I will say, worm bins LOVE coffee grounds and banana peels.

P.S.
Thanks for the seeds! got them yesterday. That package traveled farther than any other I have gotten yet. I keep the SABE's as souvenirs, and having one from Greece is very cool.

I am planting stuff today and I will be updating my glog to show off all the crazy stuff I got from the "I need veggies thread."
 
Thanks, Cay. I was a little suspicious of the coffee grounds. That's good news on the worms though. I need to check the coffee shop tomorrow for grounds. My worms have been groggy of the mornings lately. ;)
 
Days later....
I did get some coffee grounds, about 300 pounds. My worms ain't goin' hungry.

On the AACT front...
I've been making batches continuously since my batch 9 days ago -using the same sock of goodies.


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Absolutely no foul odors, but on the other hand, she's not really a looker either.

I start a fresh batch about ever other day in cold rainwater, with a little bump of Hi-brix molasses, azomite, G.O. Marine and G.O. cal/mag.

I've been watering my garden with it. Diluted for plants, but full strength on ground I'm prepping with some well soaked alfalfa meal stirred in. I doubt my temps a every getting up to 70°, but it seems to be coming on quicker.
 
So can you re-use the same batch of tied up goodies from an already brewed batch to start and brew another? IF so this would aid in making your supplies last twice as long. Anyone know if you would still get the same strength of brew?
 
Thats what I do.
I just keep adding water and junk to the bucket. You need clean it every week or so or it gets pretty crusty from dried foam.
 
Mine had a thin film of ice over the foam one morning, but I think it needs some solid 60s to foam up -higher better. Maybe the culture adapts or the hot blooded microbes species die out.
 
I should start making my own AACT soon. Right now even though during the day temps are around 67, they drop around 50 during night (sometimes below 50).
 
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