Enhancing Biological Vigor, Disease and Pest Resistance for Small-scale Organic Agriculture

1. Enhancing Biological Vigor, Disease and Pest Resistance for Small-scale Organic Agriculture Brewing Teas for Beneficial Micro-organisms, Nutrients & Secondary Metabolites

2. Benefits of Improving Biological Diversity • Plant health and immunological defense can be drastically improved through the manipulation of naturally occurring symbiotic relationships between nutrients, bacteria, archaea, fungi and protozoa in the rhizosphere. • Manipulation of these variables can be achieved via the brewing of compost teas, botanical teas and fermented plant extracts.

3. The Three Teas • Actively Aerated Compost Tea • Improves biological diversity for proper nutrient cycling within the rhizosphere • Botanical Tea • Promotes immunological defense systems within the plant by enzymatic response and introduction of foreign secondary metabolites • Fermented Plant Extracts • Allows specific nutrient additions from locally sourced “weeds”

4. Actively Aerated Compost Tea (AACT) • Improves biological diversity for proper nutrient cycling within the rhizosphere • Bacteria/Archaeadominant • Divide every 20 minutes approximately • Found in sufficient populations within 18-24 hours • Can be sufficient for foliar applications or applied during watering for enriching the diversity of bacteria/archaea • Protozoa inclusion • Populations begin to increase about 24 hours into brewing • A sufficient diversity can be found at about 36 hours into the brew • This tea is ideal for vegetables and other annual plants

5. Actively Aerated Compost Tea (AACT) • Fungi Dominant Tea • May be applied as a tea after a 36-48 hour brew but is more effective as top-dressed compost mixed in with upper layer of soil. • Generally ideal for perennial and fruit bearing trees or vines, but also useful for planting beds top-dressed in twice a year between plantings. • Quick boiled rice or oat flour can be mixed in 1:20 with compost and kept slightly damp for 8-10 days before use. (lightly dampen mixture of compost and flour, cover with a damp rag or towel, turn visible surface mold into compost) • Fish hydrolysate diluted with water (2oz/gallon) can be added to compost and covered for 5 days.

6. Actively Aerated Compost Tea (AACT) Ingredients for 50 gallons 50 gallons water at 65 -75 degrees. 1 gallon fresh vermicompost 1 quart (4 cups) unsulphured black strap molasses. Additions ½ cup Fish Hydrolysate 2 cups Kelp meal ½ cup Soft Rock Phosphate Extra additions ½ cup Pyrophyllite clay (promotes bacteria/archaea diversity) 2 cups Alfalfa Meal/Ground or Blended Alfalfa (promotes protozoa and fungal growth) Handful of Peatmoss (promotes protozoa and fungal growth)

7. Botanical Teas • Promotes immunological defense systems within the plant via enzymatic responseand addition of secondary metabolites. • Short brew allows for enzymes and secondary metabolites to be extracted and applied before they are broken down into their base nutrient forms. • Ingredients • 50 gallons water • ½ gallon plant matter • Brew for 4-5 days.

8. Botanical Teas • Suggested Plant Matter • Yarrow • Comfrey • Horsetail Fern • Sprouts • Stinging Nettles • Kelp Meal • Alfalfa Meal or fresh Alfalfa

9. Fermented Plant Extracts • Allows plant specific nutrient additions from locally sourced “weeds” • Recipe • Mix about 1:1 blended or ground plant matter and water • Allow to sit until sufficiently broken down, filter and bottle. • Use finished extract 1:100 with water • Water diluted extract into nutrient deficient areas • Flower extracts are ideal to use in the fruiting phase of plant growth. • Foliage extracts are best used during stages of vegetative growth. • Exception • CalPhosextract – Mix oyster shell flour or baked egg shell with sufficient white vinegar to dissolve. • Use 1:100 with water

10. Fermented Plant Extracts • Suggested Plant Matter • Yarrow flower or leaf • Comfrey • Camelia • Horsetail Fern • Dandelion flower or leaf • Stinging Nettle • Alfalfa Meal or fresh Alfalfa • Kelp Meal • http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/

11. Additional Tools for Improved Effectiveness of Foliar Sprays and Increased Pest/Disease Resistance • These items can be added to your foliar sprays given in per gallon amounts: • 1 ozNeem Oil • Will keep most vegetable eating insects from producing viable eggs as well as providing powdery mildew inhibition • 0.7 grams of granular Potassium Silicate or 1 tsp liquid Potassium Silicate • Improves structural integrity of the stems and leaves. • Inhibits the growth of powdery mildew before it starts • Reverses present powdery mildew infections if caught early enough • Acts to emulsify neem oil • 2 oz Aloe • Improves a plants immune system • Humicand FulvicAcids

12. Ingredient Sources • www.concentratesnw.com • (SE Portland, Bulk Feed store with almost anything) • www.horizonherbs.com • (Southern Oregon, Great source for seed and root starts) • www.groworganic.com • (Bulk seed for vegetables, herbs, companion plants etc.) • www.northwestredworms.com • (Camas Washington, Quality worm castings until you get your worm farm established) • www.neemresource.com • (Bulk organic source for U.S. produced high quality Neem and Karanja Oils and Meals) • www.customhydronutrients.com • (Affordable source for AgSil16H, the granular form of Potassium Silicate. Customary control of powdery mildew in commercial greenhouses growing squash, melon and cucumbers.) • www.aloeveraaustralia.com.au/aloe-vera-powder.html • (Bulk source for freeze-dried aloe extract)

13. Informational Sources • www.microbeorganics.com • (Recipes and experimental evidence for microbial populations in compost teas) • http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/ • (Chemical and activity data for just about any plant you’d like to investigate)