When to start using AACT/Compost Tea?

[dustonj2008]

To all the AACT/Compost Tea People out there,
I was wondering what the common practice is for the first round of AACT/Compost Tea feedings? Is this something that should be done once the plant is in its finally home (ground/container)? Is there any benefit/harm done if you apply while plants are still relatively young and still inside? My assumption is that a dose of beneficial bacteria/fungi early in life would give young plants an advantage. But you know what happens when you assume. I appreciate the advise in advance!
 
 
-Josh

 

[John1234]

Anytime, any place.
 
That said, it depends what you made it from. Depending on the concentration (re: some recipes lean towards nutrient slurry, which is great for mature plants), you'd need to water it down a bit.

 

[dustonj2008]

Are there any recommended recipes for younger plants like seedlings or adolescents? I'd like to get them a little of love prior to spring hitting if possible. I don't want to love them to death though.

 

[tctenten]

Are there any recommended recipes for younger plants like seedlings or adolescents? I'd like to get them a little of love prior to spring hitting if possible. I don't want to love them to death though.

I am interested in doing this as well. Hopefully some Tea users will share with you.

 

[Scuba_Steve]

No actual xp here, but I would imagine that you follow the standard recipe and just dilute it. Personally, rather than using tea at a young stage, I have been just using mykos underneath the root ball when I pot up to solos.

 

[mrgrowguy]

I am not an expert, but I have some information that may be helpful.
 
The tea can be made with one, none, or all of these: bat guano (high in N), bat guano (high in P), seabird guano, vermiculture(sp?) / worm castings.
 
Keeping in mind that you are asking about the first feeding, therefore, new plants. Since they would not have started putting out flowers yet, the plants are in the "vigorous green growth" stage (the idea of vigorous green growth is important for a lot of things related to gardening). Since the plants are focusing energy on growing,
 
While the two guanos that are high in N would be a good choice, I prefer to use worm castings myself. I may add a small scoop of guano, but for starters will pretty much use the worm castings exclusively.
 
Now, like miguelovic said, you may want to make a nicely diluted version depending on the plant's needs and cycle stage. This will be learned by trial and error in time.
 
The worm castings will tend to be high in nitrogen BUT they are super high in beneficial microbes by itself. So, it is a good kick start for plants that have not been inoculated yet, or just in general. Worm castings are the gardener's "black gold" and all.
 
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next idea:
 
That is one thing, but I have kind of migrated into trying something different. For seedlings, since they are in a nearly nutrient free substrate, I like to just scoop out a spoonful of worm castings, spread it over the small pot with the seedling, and just top water. They don't need much in the way of sugars/carbs since the worm castings have enough microbes to begin with for a small starting plant. I do this every other or third watering.
 
****** I also use filtered water, make sure not to use water with chlorine!
 
mrgg

 

[Hybrid Mode 01]

Anytime, any place.
 
 

 
     Here, here!
 

 Personally, rather than using tea at a young stage, I have been just using mykos underneath the root ball when I pot up to solos.

 
     Compost tea and mycorrhizal inoculants are both useful, but they aren't interchangeable. Mykos is a dried, dormant culture of only the fungi species that infect plant roots, forming mycorrhizal symbioses. Compost tea is a living culture of a whole zoo of bacteria, fungi and protozoa used to help populate soil (and sometimes foliage) with organisms involved in soil nutrient cycling. 
 

 
 
The tea can be made with one, none, or all of these: bat guano (high in N), bat guano (high in P), seabird guano, vermiculture(sp?) / worm castings.
 
 

 
     All the above can be useful ingredients in making compost tea. But keep in mind that you will need to include some sort of microbial starter culture. I have never used guanos, but I'm fairly certain they don't necessarily contain any of the microbes needed to make a true compost tea.
     While good, homemade compost is probably the best source for these microbes, I have found commercial worm castings to yield pretty good results when good compost isn't available. 

 

[John1234]

Around 2.5% v/v vermicast (rough half cup per gallon) and 0.25-0.5% (0.25 for low circulation brewers re: air stones, two-four tsp per gallon) black strap molasses is as simple and safe as you can get. Might look kind of anal (Me? No...) with percentage points, but they're universal and easily convertible.
 
There are a wack of recipes in the sticky as well, and I've plugged microbeorganics there at least once.