Urban Farmer

Compost Tea Brewer – How To & Pics

 In the last post we talked about the “why” of a Compost Tea Brewer – to make a living brew of microorganisms that when placed on the soil of your lawn or garden bed will turn it into a living, healthy place that will grow your fruits and vegetables – and grass.

In this post we are going to show you the “how” of what we did.  Feel free to adapt to your own needs and volumes.  Application rate is about 1 gallon per 2000 square feet.

Instead of a 55 gallon drum I started with a 5 gallon bucket, everyday variety.

Next I headed to the local Goodwill to look for something with some weight with a hole in the bottom and a basket/pot for the top either with holes already or that I could easily drill.  I lucked out and found a nut crusher set without the tools for $1 and a wire basket for $2:

At the hardware store a couple of days ago I got some 1/2″ tubing and fittings (plus some sheet metal for the base but was too light and too much trouble cutting and shaping) to secure the base and basket together so that the basket would sit not quite at the top of the bucket.  Note – when the tea is “cooking” it generates a 2-3″ layer of foam, indicating things are growing well, so leave some room in the bucket!

You need two of the threaded couplers, one each at top and bottom.   4 washers with 7/8″ diameter holes, 2 each at top and bottom, are better though I could only fit one at the top.  10″ of pipe in between is all I needed; your length will depend on your size of container and size of base and basket.

I designed the base connection “on the fly” first drilling a hole to fit the coupling but the wooden dish was too thick so I had to add an extender.  Then I had to drill out the hole some more to fit the outside diameter of the extender.  Finally the extender was too long because of placement of threads (had both female end and male end but threads didn’t go all the way through.  I got a “thick washer” from a piece with a hole large enough to go over the coupling and cut it to the appropriate thickness to allow everything to tighten down.  The nuts used to tighten are 1/2″ electrical conduit nuts (learned from my hardware buddy the other day!).

The pressure to cause percolation is provided by a fish aquarium pump.  A stop at Wal-Mart will get you one for a 1-5 gallon tank along with 8′ of standard tubing.  Cost is just under $9.

Next I drilled a hole in the side of the base (love that it is wood!) just large enough for the tubing to go through.  I also made 4 cutouts around the edge of the base about 1/2″ square to allow water to flow below the base and up the tube.  Here’s what the final base looked like:

After this it was only to measure the length of pipe needed, cut it, insert it into the base connector then with a washer underneath screw the basket down tightly at the top.  After I took the pictures I realized there needed to be height of tubing above the basket floor so I got the second male/female coupler to screw onto the top to extend the height.  I also put the handle back on the basket but will make it easily removable.  This isn’t necessary but makes it easier to remove the unit for pouring the tea out of the bucket when done.  Here’s the finished unit (without the extension on top).

Here it is with the pump connected.  Don’t forget to insert the check valve that comes with the pump into the line.  You don’t want to suck live microorganisms back into your pump!  It won’t hurt you but will likely make the pump very unpleasant to have around.  A screw valve turned on and off may even be more protection.

Finally, testing.  As soon as the water level got near the bottom of the basket it bubbled up and over with no problem!

Bubbling   (Click to start video)

 All that is needed now is to put compost into the basket.  I plan to wrap it in a cheesecloth or porous cloth to have no solid matter in the tea.  I’ll make an opening with a drawstring or elastic waist to wrap snugly around the extension.  The water will be directed onto the compost in the basket and the extract will filter through and recirculate.  The best source for compost is said to be earthworm castings.

Either keep the water warm by heating periodically or with a thermostat.  The range is 92 – 99 degrees, the optimum being 92 degrees.  Fish tank warmer won’t go high enough so will have to get a small one at a plumbing store.

Finally, molasses or a sugar source is required to feed the microorganisms.  For the 55 gallon containers 1/2 gallon is used so for my 5 gallon quantity I’ll plan to use 1/2 – 3/4 cup.  When the froth comes you will know that things are going well.  When the aroma of molasses is gone, usually in 24 – 30 hours, the tea is ready for use.

Be sure to use the tea, spraying it on lawn or garden, within 2 – 3 days, and the sooner the better.  After that it gets pretty unbearable, as all living things do.  ”Lord, he’s been in there for four days and by this time he stinks!”

Till next time,

See you in the garden!

Jon

Compost Tea for Soil Improvement 

If you have followed the postings in this blog at all, you know that I have struggled with poor soil in my backyard garden and with ways of making improvements to the same.

We built and started using the DIY rotating compost tumbler.  The results of that will become more apparent this summer.

We used some compost tea made from dried compost.

We found ways to make compost, sharing them with you, and setting up a pile in the back corner.  This also will evidence its effectiveness this summer.

Late this fall I made a “compost pile” of sorts right in two new garden beds, never before planted.  Took the leaves from the yard, mixed in some dirt, but this time added some compost starter purchased earlier in the year.  Again, we’ll see how well that approach works when we start planting soon, this spring.

What has been missing in all this for me, however, is that “hot” pile that lets you know the microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi, nematodes) necessary for healthy soil are present and working.  All my attempts so far have been the slow-growing, “cold” variety.  Certainly there is some life there – decomposition is taking place, fungi are breaking material down, but it just isn’t what I want and know it can be.

But hopefully there has been a breakthrough.

Last week I had the privilege of spending four days with a long-time friend, Jonathan,  (his Dad and my Dad, both now deceased, were college buddies and lifelong friends) in Vancouver, WA just across the river from Portland, OR.  He has been involved for years with “organic homesteading”, raising pastured poultry (broiler chickens, turkeys and laying hens) and beef.  He likes to design and mix his own feed mixes and has also become a distributor for quality organic feeds for animals, particularly the Fertrell brand.

While this is not specifically an advertisement/endorsement for his business, BeeRite Sales, if you live in the Northwest or surrounding states be sure to call him.  He will get you what you need, and/or advise you as to what you need, at the best for you prices he can get.  He has a link on this web page – scroll down about 1/3 of the way.

But back to the topic of soil improvements.  Jonathan has spent a lot of time and energy researching how to make soil and animals healthy while doing this on his own acres and is always coming up with new ideas and networking with those in the business.  He told me about and drew out for me a Compost Tea Brewer that is potentially the “cat’s meow” for getting my soil, and yours, to a living, healthy state quickly and easily.  He learned this from a gentleman who lives not too far from him who has been using this with great success on his farm.

Basically this Compost Tea Brewer is a way to grow microorganisms like a microbiologist does in a Petri dish using a percolator (like many of you use for coffee all the time), except instead of putting coffee grounds in the top filter basket you put in compost.  And instead of heating the water to really hot, you heat it only to 92 degrees or just above since that is the most effective temperature for microorganisms to thrive.  Add some molasses as food for the “bugs” to eat and begin to grow and voila! – Compost Tea!

The purpose for brewing this compost tea is to make a solution of living, active, reproducing microorganisms that you then spray on the soil of your lawn or garden and thus promote a living, healthy soil.

I have to admit, though, I have a second, ulterior motive for making compost tea besides using it on my garden beds.

I also do some lawn service part-time on weekends and evenings after work.  Lawns I have cared for over several years I see wearing out if no amendments or fertilizers are used by the owner, or grow unhealthy plants if fertilized with standard chemical-based fertilizers.  (If you read my other blogs or follow my talkshow – all linked from here – you know how opposed I am to chemical fertilizers for health reasons in humans as well as lawns!)  I’ve tried some “organic fertilizers” but they tend to be costly and not always so effective.  So I am looking for a viable solution to assisting homeowners with a simple, inexpensive, “organic” amendment for their lawns that will turn them into healthy, living areas proud to own and safe for their families and pets.

But here is a problem:  My friend and his farmer friend make this stuff in 55 gallon barrels for application by the acre.  My garden beds and customer lawns are at most a few thousand square feet.  Also, once made, this is a living brew and in three days if not used it “dies” and becomes exceptionally nasty, not to say unusable!  They use a harrow disc at the base with 1-1/2″ PVC pipe for the percolator column and a basket at the top.  Pressure has to be very minimal, however, about 1 psi, or all the water gets blown out!

So I needed a simple solution that would apply to very small volumes.

Thought about using a 100-cup coffee percolator which would be about perfect in size except 1) the temperature would be way too hot if you used the built in heater and 2) on craigslist I found a used one for $75 – way too expensive.  I’m looking for simple AND cheap (inexpensive).

Came up with just the simple solution for under $30 – will tell you how, with pictures, next post! ( Though a thermostat will add a bit, if one is used).

Till next time,

See you in the garden!

Jon

Just because summer is over doesn’t mean that the gardening is over for the year!

On the contrary.  Whole new activities await!

Time for the Fall Garden and there are a couple of options:

Plant cool weather veggies that will supply food over the fall and winter, even into spring,

Add the compost and soil amendments that will get us even more ready for next year,

Or both!

Before we do anything, though, let’s spend a little time planning and designing just what we want to do and how we want it to look.  We can make our fall garden both practical and aesthetic.  Isn’t that the fun of gardening?

Here’s a great, short overview that’s really chock full of great info:

Note especially his comment about compost – and his compartment composting system.

Now here are some really helpful, practical design ideas, keeping it simple:

And for more if you wish, here is a link to her book:

The Well-Designed Mixed Garden

Hopefully this will get you thinking about planting in the fall!

Next time we’ll look at what kinds of veggies and flowers work well this time of year.

See you in the garden!

Jon
Urban Farmer

This spring I did a much better job of getting the garden beds planted on time than last year.

With a minimum of expense I got tomato plants and from seed started radish, carrots, squash, beans and some flowers for borders and to add some color. These were planted in a much more timely manner than last year’s plants and did well – at first.

I thinned out the radishes, pruned the tomatoes, had LOTS of blooms on the squash and bean pods forming on the vines. Hooray!

But then reality took over. The weather got a bit hot and now to downright “ovenly” and guess what happened to all those wonderful plants? Fried. Dead. Eaten up with bugs. Sayonara. And the soil? Cooked. Concrete. Even with watering.

Besides all that my next door neighbor moved to Texas and left me with 2 ready made garden beds and a lot of strawberry plants I transplanted. The plants didn’t do well and the beds stand almost empty except for some dirt I added in the process of making a bed for my apple trees.

So it became apparent very quickly that my soil here is NOT good, plus I need more of it. The answer? Compost, of course, and lots of it. That is the new goal.

Knowing this would be a problem, last fall and this spring I made a tumbling compost bin. I’ll get the video of that posted as soon as I can get it transferred off the tape – technology issues. I tried making some compost with that but it was heavy on the grass clippings and didn’t get hot enough to break down enough. Have a learning curve to climb with that tool.

So meanwhile I thought, why not go back to the old way we used to do it? The bin in the corner of the yard method. That’s what is going now but here are also some videos to help. Hope you enjoy them.

This one is simple, practical and to the point. I think she is right about the grass clippings – they have been a problem in my pile already.

Here is another one interesting for its design but not practical for most because of its size.  Cutting it down to a manageable size would be one option.  Or perhaps using the design with the wire hoop above by placing the hoop up on blocks to allow removal of compost from the bottom would be helpful.

These are just a couple ideas.  There are many more, some more complicated, but all with the intent of generating nutrient rich dirt that will grow healthy plants while keeping pests away.

That’s what I’m talking about!  And that’s what I’ll be doing to improve the soil in my garden beds.

See you in the garden!

Jon

Part of the overall plan, noted earlier, was to include fruit trees in the backyard.

Of course, one cannot say “fruit” without meaning “apple” but the issue was where in the layout of my particular yard.

They would do better in a sunny area receiving the south sun but that is a problem in my yard.

However, with a little planning I came up with a solution.  I would build a special “bed” on the south edge, just back from the fence where the ground sloped downward.  The slope made it difficult to use for anything else but grass anyway.  The fence row itself is lined with lilies but by staying away just a bit a functional area could be arranged.

I formed this area with some curvature, almost like a kidney bean, to give it some eye appeal as well.  Into this bed would be placed other plants and flowers to make the whole area pleasing to the eye but also to set off the apples.

Into this I placed some peonies and ornamental grass transplanted from elsewhere in the yard, arranging them symmetrically around the border.

Next it was time to get the trees.

Years ago, when living and gardening in Virginia, I used to get the Stark Bros. catalogs and because I was impressed with their products, decided that when the time came their trees would be the ones to use.  Imagine my delight on moving to St. Louis to discover that their nursery was only about 90 minutes up the road!

So on Father’s Day this year I gave myself the present of apple trees from Stark Bros. Nursery.  I was aiming for the dwarf style but discovered that I was too late in the year to plant them; they are not as hardy a stock and need to be put in early in the spring or later in the fall.  Instead, I settled on the semi-dwarf style that will grow to about 14 feet though I can keep them trimmed to control the height.

For varieties you need at least two that will pollinate each other.  The nursery has all that listed out and were very helpful with choosing both from the standpoint of pollination and usability.  We choose two different varieties, one great for eating and one also good for cooking.  The ones we chose were Jonathan and Gala.

We carefully wrapped the trees so they wouldn’t get blown around in the back of the truck on the way home and I spent the rest of the afternoon placing them in their new homes in the special bed arranged for them.

One more step toward the complete vision – apple trees in the backyard!

See you in the garden!

Jon

PS. While at Stark Bros. I also picked up an Echinacea plant which also went into the bed.  Since part of the purpose of the garden is to provide productive, health-giving plants, Echinacea is a perfect fit since it is a wonderful immune system builder and is a plant which I have always wanted to grow.  Bonus!

We have had some very nice days here in the midwest making the garden an enticing place to be.  Today, especially,  was a great opportunity to work some more, trying to bring some reality to the dream of a productive, meditative place.

First I planted some more, both vegetables and flowers.  Radishes, carrots and beans joined the squash in one bed.  Chamomile and zinnia seeds place along the ends will add some color eventually.  Will be interesting to see how that turns out.

The tomatoes are looking healthy and safely at home in their spots.  Will probably add some more, perhaps larger, plants as well since I have the room.

Spent some time with my son also, looking over other parts of the yard and talking about the design.  We have a swing that will be covered in a homemade trellis, set into an area where we will spread some gravel and place a fountain.

On the other side of the yard we will likely put a larger flower bed that will swoop into the area where I want to place the mini labyrinth.

We also discussed some ways to generate privacy areas to include the gazebo and deck.

Finally, I had some flower plants given to me by a lawn service client who had over purchased.  For these I made a small bed outlined with stone block, placed just outside the garden fence.  Touched the garden off nicely!

Feels good to see some progress made toward the dream!

See you in the garden!

Jon

About a month ago my next door neighbor, having moved to Texas, came home for a few days to deal with his still unsold home.  One of his tasks was to dismantle his wife’s raised bed garden area.

I was more than willing to help with the labor and in the process was rewarded with LOTS of strawberry plants which were already a couple of years old.

(There were enough that three other people have also benefited from “instant strawberry patch”!)

It was really cold, more like winter than spring, so the plants didn’t get transplanted for about a week, but for the last couple of weeks they have been wonderfully ensconced in one of my garden beds!

We have had lots of rain since and they have done beautifully; I noticed this evening some are beginning set some fruit!

At the same time I planted a LARGE knot of chives.  Broke them up into much smaller bundles and now there is a carpet, almost, of lovely purple chive blossoms.

Besides plants I also got the actual raised bed frames as well.  They are in place but have not yet been filled with dirt.  That’s a project for another day.  The roll of 4′ fence that came with it all has boosted the ability to keep out my pet/dog-varmints while at the same time being long enough to incorporate the new beds as well.

Then today, while at the hardware store getting a part for a lawn customer, I picked up some tomato plants and a few packets of seeds.

The first bed, besides strawberries at one end now has 4 “Better Boy” and 4 “Supersonic” tomato plants firmly situated.  I trimmed the lower shoots as my friend, Chuck, taught me on his DVD and away we go!

Now it feels like spring has really come though it acted as if it wasn’t sure it wanted to show up this year.d

Now there is a reason to go look to see and putter and absorb all the good energy that is there!

How goes your garden?

Jon

PS. I recently also finished the “Do It Yourself Compost Tumbler” and have some compost cooking.  We’ll see how that turns out.  I have the construction video recorded and will post it as soon as I can get the technical issues involved worked out.

It has been a long, cold winter, for sure.

But although we had snow on Monday, yesterday broke a 150 year record for the high temperature – was 83 degrees!

Gets the juices flowing for sure!

Plus it is Friday afternoon and I have time to do some of my own work.  So outdoors it was, clean out the garden beds and get the Mantis tiller going.

Soil was a bit wet but it tilled up very well and now there are two beds, nice and fluffy, ready for amendments and some Haven Manure Tea in preparation for seeds to come shortly.

Where are you in your preparations for the garden?

Jon

It’s been a couple of weeks since we’ve posted anything.  Went to the wedding of my nephew Tim Moreshead in Boise, ID.  That was a very nice time and it was great being with all my siblings for a few days.

Since then we have had some cool weather here in the midwest but the last couple of days have actually been unseasonably warm.

Whatever bug had stripped the leaves on the cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower must have been frozen out since when I checked this week there was a new growth of each at the top of the plants and I actually harvested a bit of broccoli this late in the season!

The tomatoes actually have put out some fruit but it has all been so late they are only still green.  Even if they never ripen we could make some green tomato relish!

The herb garden has kind of petered out, too.  The thyme and basil did well and the sage survived.  The rest of it gave up the ghost here of late.

So all in all this season hasn’t been a huge boost to the stomach, but it has been a huge boost to the psyche.  Just getting the project going was worth every bit.  Seeing the vision, starting the journey has been the major part of the battle.

Some things to take away at this point:

• I now have some ideas for making hoops or hay bale “huts” to capture winter sunlight though there will be no planting done until the soil is improved.
• One project for the winter will be making compost in as large a quantity as I can!  The tumbler itself is pretty much ready.  I need to make a rolling platform to be able to spin it.  We’ll get that done in the next couple of weeks.
• And, the winter will be spent dreaming about spring and tilling up the compost and what fruit trees to plant and where and…

Until next time,

See you in the garden!

Jon

Things in the Herb Garden and Veggie beds have kind of just existed this week.  Temperatures turned a bit cooler and we even got some much needed rain late in the week.  Starting to look and feel like fall.

Spent more time this week working on the compost tumbler.  Added the vent pipe and the internal rake.  Also made vent holes and covered them with screen.  So far we have 4-6 hours and about $35 invested.  Took some video so hopefully that will document the project at its end.  Stay tuned.

Again, am following the plans of my internet friend Bob O’Donnell.  Get your copy of his plans and let me know how your project goes.

Next is to build the rolling rack so it will actually turn and add some handles and we will be ready to “roll” (pun intended  ).

Until next time,

See you in the garden!

Jon

P.S. Be sure to go see our other blog at Small Plot Gardens!