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Seattle, WA

Has anyone tried brewing tea for specifically increasing flagellates, ciliates, amoeba?

I've found that the typical brewing cycle 12-24 hours doesn't give the flagellates enough time to really reproduce. I've found 36-48 hours seems to be ideal for growing these organisms.

It makes sense to me that you'd want to do an application of a protozoa tea (soil drench) in addition to compost teas that are high in bacteria, fungi, and contain some protists.

What I've had the most success with is putting 3/4 cup vermicompost and 3/4 c. of organic alfalfa meal. I need to go back and try the alfalfa meal by itself, as Dr. Ingham has stated on multiple occasions that grasses have the protists already and you don't need compost. I tried using a variety of grasses, from lawn cuttings (organic lawn) to wild prarie grasses and didn't have any success. Just my own personal observations, and hardly a replicated study.

I have replicated the vermicompost/alfalfa meal recipe on 3 or 4 occasions and been successful every time. I do see some fungi and bacteria but not as much in a compost tea. The flagellates will completely cover the field of view in my microscope though.

I know protists play a vital role in nutrient cycling by processing the nutrients that are locked up in the bacteria and excreting them in a plant available form.

I haven't seen any studies or data on Protist teas, but I think it's something worth considering in organic growing.

~Tad

2/4/2008 6:49:00 PM

Picton,ON ([email protected])

Tad

Back in public school we grew protozoa using grass hay I believe. The alfalfa meal is treated at a high temperature and likely won't inoculate the tea as well

John

2/4/2008 9:33:45 PM

Seattle, WA

I know grass hay is supposed to work for growing protozoa, I just haven't had any luck with it.

My interest is whether it would be beneficial to brew a protist tea to intersperse with your compost tea applications as a way of increasing your population of beneficial protozoa?

As for the alfalfa meal, I need to go back and try just the alfalfa meal (I tried once but had foam issues that required me to quite the brew). I'll try again soon here...

2/5/2008 1:54:04 PM

Ohio

HI Thad

Can you e-mail me ? [email protected]
Thank you
Danny Reeb

2/20/2008 4:09:39 PM