Any chemists out there please

Hi, I am making compost tea for my plants, I am using worm compost for the bacteria, with rock dust, molassis, and sea weed extract which is aerated for 48 hours.
My question is would it affect the bacteria if I added nem oil to the mix or even kill the effect of the nem oil ?.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

daitheplant has a diploma in horticulture and he knows everything there is to know about anything, so I am sure he will be around shortly to advise you

sounds interesting though, so I will be watching this thread with interest

 

Hmmm, I'm betting that Dai did his Diploma before 'compost tea's' were all the rage! I know I did!!
I will be interested to know what you learn about this Blacksmith, there seems to be a bit of mystery about exactly what's in some of them...hence the price!!

 

a bit 'off topic', but closely related...

I've been reading about Biointensive farming methods (I don't grow veg or fruit, but find it interesting) ... I have been trying to understand chemical fertilizers and the N-P-K ratios, and what's best to use for different applications, and when to use

there are loads of discussions and interest on the internet as regards Biointensive ... herewith one link:

Biointensive Agriculture

combine that with good composting/correct fertilizing, and you will be onto a winning combination

I found the section about 'double digging' the soil to 24 inches deep very interesting aswell ... not only will this work well for veg, but most probably will work well for perennials etc?

 

Sounds a very strange mix, but then I've never dabbled in such things apart from the odd nettle brew once in a while.

What exactly is the Neem oil for?

 

As I understand it compost tea is simply compost soaked/disolved in water. It has a mild fertiliser effect, but also delivers many of the micro-organisms that live in compost and the soil.

When you start adding other ingredients, it sounds less like chemistry and more like witchcraft - spells and potions department. That is not to say that the right potion won't work.

 

Brewing Compost Tea - Fine Gardening Article

 

The nem oil is an insect deterent as it tastes nasty. The idea of the compost tea is to encourage good bacteria by bubbling air through the water and worm compost, this in turn breaks down the plant food locked up in the soil, the molasses is for the bacteria to feed on in the mixture and the rock dust has trace elements in it.

 

this is what I have used on my 'prized' plants in south africa a few years ago (Nitrosol and Kelpak).... mixed 50/50, and diluted with water and sprayed on the foilage after the sun has set ... every 2 weeks during the growing season

Nitrosol:
Nitrosol • Possibly the best fertiliser on earth

kelpak:
http://www.nuturf.com.au/new%20design/turfflyers/liquids/KELPAK%20Turf.pdf

Farmura Kelpak: Liquid Organic Feed - Farmura

then, I used dried guana manure (bat manuree or seagull manure) added to the soil ... we used to buy large bags of stuff called guana plus which was a mixture of seagull manure mixed with chemical fertilizers .... add that to your grass during the rainy season and you will have to mow your lawn 3 times a week ... and the grass goes deep green, it actually looks like blue (very high in nitrogen)... also very good for shrubs/flowers

I have been using stuff called palmbooster in the UK for some palms and shrubs I have recently planted ... cannot comment at this stage as I cannot compare it to any that I have not fertilized, but it is getting rave reviews on several forums

 

Blacksmith, you are gaining nothing by adding anything to the worm liquer. Just dilute it as needed.

 

I take my hat off (or would if I was wearing one) to the marketing spin doctor that wrote such amazing things about what is essentially fish, blood and bone.

 

If you make your own then the cost is a few pence, you just start a wormery in your compost bin and buy an aquarium pump and away you go.