Vermicompost aerated tea

[Lindalana]

If anyone uses vermicompost from their worm factory to make aerated compost tea, I would like to ask couple of questions- what do you add as food for tea brewing time, when and does that tea smell any?
I am in a process of making my first batch of vermicompost tea and till now used KIS products which give me nice forest smell when created.
I smell nothing with vermicompost, id does not have any smell... I did add kelp, some sugar and molasses at the start of brewing.

[kayrobbins]

I add 1/3 cup molasses and 1/3 cup Neptune Harvest Seaweed. I don't like molasses and hate the smell of it but when the brewing is finished it just has a nice earthy smell.

[Sydney Grower]

I use 2 handfuls of worm castings, probably 1/4 cup Molasses, 1/4 cup seaweed extraction, a little rock dust and a teaspoon of mychorizal fungi.

I find the smell turns from Molasses at the start to earthy or perhaps closer to neutral after 24 hours. I am only concerned if it ever smells off. Neutral to earthy is an indicator of aerobic health in my books.

Carl

[Lindalana]

Thank you much for advice. I will keep trying.

[Barb_FL]

I've done it with Grandma molasses (can buy at the grocery store) but now use Earth Juice Hi-Brix molasses for plants.

I've never added Kelp / seaweed but will the next time I do it.

I started making the tea because I was not very diligent with removing seeds; I know which plants receives the vermicompost because they also have tomato seedlings or cantaloupe popping up.

Does your tea have foam? I'm just doing it in a 5 gallon bucket with an 5" air stone and air pump and mine never had foam.

[creister]

Mine seemed to foam sometimes, and other times it didn't. I could never pinpoint the reason why though. As long as it did not smell off I used it.

[Sydney Grower]

I rarely get much foam at all. However this could also be due to my air pump being a little underpowered. I’m with Creister that if it doesn’t smell off, it is good to use.

Carl

[kayrobbins]

I usually do get foam. My pump has two outlets. I put my castings in a cut off stocking and then put that in a paint strainer bag. I put one 4 inch air stone in that. I use a t connector on the other outlet and attach two four inch stones to each line. Even though I am just using a cheap pump I think the total of 5 stones makes good circulation.

I will have to check out the Earth Juice molasses.

[Tracydr]

How much compost and how much water? I have a ton of vermicompost around all the leaves and pine needles.
Today, I was digging up rotted leaves and pine needles, mixed with that beautiful black stuff to put in my hugelkultur herb/saffron garden. We have these enormous, very fast earthworms. I saw so many and I thought it looked just like a a little snake. Wait! It was a baby snake! It was actually smaller and moved just like the earthworms. Even had a similar color. If it weren't for the tiny scales and the head/eyes, I wouldn't have even noticed!

[creister]

I usually brew 4 gallons. I put two cups in a paint strainer bag, if I add any meal/solid additives, I put in the bag with the compost. I also put two one inch air stones in the bag as we'll.

[Sydney Grower]

4-5 gallons in my brew (although I will need to convert you to the Australian measuring system (about 15-18 litres) I add between 1-2 cups of castings. Interestingly I don’t bag anything. I like to let it all swim free. I strain the mix as it goes into the sprayer through any old stockings my wife/kids don’t need anymore.
Carl

[Barb_FL]

I use a 5 gallon bucket and mostly fill it with rain water or city water that I let sit overnight. I use 2 cups of worm castings and have put in the paint strainer bag and let it hang from the side. The last time I made worm tea, I just dumped the castings it in the bottom.

I've never thought of putting the stone in the bag; that would certainly circulate the air at the source. I will try the extra stones; I have 2 sockets on my pump and lots of extra line.

Do you all buy your castings? I have a worm inn kept in an unused shower in our house.

For several months now, I've just been making Stump Tea which gives me lots of foam. We have an HTGsupply store in our town and on Tuesdays they give free Stump Tea and on Thursdays they give away Veg Boost. I ended up getting the Stump Tea mix and just making my own.

[Lindalana]

I have worm factory so vermicompost is ready made. It is really not chlorine as it quite unstable but chloramine I worry about in the water so I add a drop of diluted humic acid for the 30 minute initial preload cycle.
I was told that using pantyhose is way too tight mesh, so I am re- using one from prepackaged kits of Keep It Simple. I do generally have foam in the end.
Keep It Simple which has mile long data list, sends in prepackaged about 1 cup of compost and one cup of microbial food- dry for 5 gallon bucket. It does produce wonderful brew. My peppers which were infected with something turned around after one application.
However it is not cheap so for long run I am looking to come up with my own compost and molasses/kelp mix that works...

[Tracydr]

I have well water.i had no idea that so little was used! Wow! I'm going to order an air stone and pump ASAP!

[Jonnyhat]

i just started using boogie brew pro today and from what I hear this stuff is the bees knees when it comes to tea. i do about 4 gal at a time boogiebrew.net