Conpost Tea as foliar??

Basic Growing Info
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Does anyone have any evidence or personal use cases of compost tea in a foliar spray application?

We are trying some new things at our commercial greenhouses next season and some of us think foliar compost helps fight disease/pests.

I have nothing against compost tea but we are running salt ferts and also have a solid ipm in place to spray already. To me it just seems like throwing an unnecessary variable in the mix.

And ultimately I understand compost tea to be most beneficial in the root zone. I have seen very little of amy evidence ofnit being effective on the leaf surface but I am ready to be proven wrong!

Thanks

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Ive heard tale people spray casing tea as IPM for PM. I don’t fuck around in dirt, but I heard it from good authority.

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Ive been doing foliar compost teas for over a decade now! In fact, I just did a one a few hours ago. It really is insanely helpful to increase overall plant health. I also add compost teas as a soil drench, but anything in veg gets a tea-down at least once a week. Ive for sure known more than a few salt growers that added bi weekly teas as a foliar as well. The best way I heard it described was from a badass warehouse grower that said “Im all organic with foliar, synth in the nutes”

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Knf soil guy here. I consume an appalachain ammount of tea and use tea grounds in everything EXCEPT foliar spray…

What are you trying to fight in particular??

@AppalachianBiscuits see what i did there! Lol

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here’s what ai says, I use meta’s ‘ollama’ but it requires either a m1+ or a fast video card like an Nvidia rtx

is compost tea a good foliar spray for hemp and cannabis plants when theyre

… in vegetative growth?

Compost tea can be a beneficial foliar spray for hemp and cannabis plants

during the vegetative growth stage, but its effectiveness depends on

various factors.

Compost tea is a liquid solution made by steeping composted materials in

water. It contains microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and protozoa

that can help plant growth. These microorganisms can:

  1. Fix nitrogen: Compost tea can provide a readily available source of

nitrogen for plants, promoting healthy growth.

  1. Stimulate beneficial microbes: The microbial content of compost tea can

stimulate the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the soil, which are

essential for plant health.

  1. Enhance nutrient uptake: Some studies suggest that compost tea can

increase the availability of nutrients to plants by solubilizing minerals

and increasing the surface area of micro-pores.

However, when using compost tea as a foliar spray, it’s essential to

consider the following:

  1. Concentration: The concentration of microorganisms in compost tea

should not be too high, as this can lead to an overabundance of beneficial

microbes on the plant surfaces.

  1. Timing: Compost tea is typically most effective when applied during the

vegetative growth stage, as it can promote healthy root development and

nutrient uptake.

  1. pH level: Compost tea has a neutral to slightly acidic pH (pH 5-6),

which may not be ideal for all hemp and cannabis varieties. Some plants

might require a more specific pH range.

When using compost tea as a foliar spray, follow these general guidelines:

  • Dilute the compost tea with water according to the manufacturer’s

instructions or the recommended dilution ratio (typically 1:10 or 1:20).

  • Apply the solution during the early morning hours when the plants are at

their most receptive.

  • Avoid applying compost tea in direct sunlight, as this can cause the

microorganisms to degrade rapidly.

In addition to compost tea, consider combining it with other foliar sprays

that target specific needs of your hemp and cannabis plants. Some examples

include:

  1. Micronutrient sprays: These can provide essential micronutrients like

boron, copper, or zinc.

  1. Plant growth regulators (PGRs): PGRs can help regulate plant growth,

promote healthy stem elongation, and increase yields.

  1. pH-balanced foliar sprays: These can help maintain optimal pH levels

for your plants.

It’s always a good idea to consult with a knowledgeable grower or conduct

further research on the specific needs of your hemp and cannabis varieties

before introducing compost tea as a foliar spray.

Send a message (/? for help)

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@defharo may chime in with more awesome on this topic. :wink:

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Wise policy

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This is discussed in the book “Teaming with Microbes” By Jeff Lowenfels. The foliar spray adds beneficial microbes to the actual plant, protecting all its surfaces. The author does go into more details. In the book he covers, when, why, how and such of foliar spraying compost teas. Including how to avoid spreading E.Coli with your teas. A very worthy read.

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This is exactly it! It really does make a difference too. The audiobook of it is on Spotify, and heres a free PDF for anyone interested in diving deeper

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Hello, I make foliar applications to my indoor cannabis plants, with a frequency of between 7-10 days, from seedling and throughout the vegetative growth period.

The question raised by @Nixie666, about using compost tea as a foliar application, in this case has some conditions:
Do you know the components of the compost? Is the compost ripe enough? And finally, the routine of watering the substrate with saline fertilizers.

In general, applications with compost tea in foliar mode should not cause problems, if the concentration is controlled, but I, faced with the conditions that exist and my own vision of foliar applications, think it is not worth it in this case.

Quickly:

  • Each compost is unique (components), both in its composition and in the ability to solubilize nutrients in the tea (ripening).

  • The presence of Nitrogen is always recognized in the compost, the rest of the nutrients and micronutrients will depend on the materials used in the compost. A nitrogen imbalance can attract many bugs and pathogens.

  • Inherent microbiology can help as a prebiotic in leaves, branches and stems. But in the event of an infestation it does not have enough power. But the fact of using salts as irrigation makes it very difficult for microbiology to spread through the substrate.

To summarize the above, for me:
If you are looking for foliar remedies against pathogens, compost tea is not appropriate, there are more efficient solutions
Nourishing the leaves with compost tea, after nourishing the soil with saline fertilizers is redundant.

I do not see or use foliar applications as extra nutrition of macronutrients.

For me, foliar applications, due to their immediacy in the absorption of nutrients, I use them in another way and depending on the state, time or progress of the crop.

  • They are useful to get out of periods of stress or to give an energetic boost if I apply for example amino acids or fulvic acids.
  • At certain times during the crop, when I want to boost cell division, I use hormones that I can mix with micronutrients.
  • If I want to protect the crop, I can use Lactic Acid Bacteria or solutions with silica.
  • If I want to add vitamins, enzymes, etc., I use my Bio fruit fertilizer… and I could go on, I don’t do two foliar applications with the same components.

I see foliar applications as doors that can be opened. In this case, I would analyze the components that you use for irrigation and in any case I would look for a foliar application that would add what the substrate is missing.

The EC concentration and the PH of foliar applications are important, I have ruined some plants in the past. For me, a safe EC is between 0.5 and 1.0, depending on the stage of the crop and the components I use. The acidic PH is between 5.8 and 6.2.

This is a screenshot of my current growing season, the green stripes are the foliar applications I have made throughout the vegetative growth period.

foliar
foliar1070×890 52.1 KB

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If you’re running salts and have an effective IPM I don’t understand what is to gain by adding this tea spray.

This sounds like something sparkly caught someone’s eye. Too many cooks and other such Mamaw wisdoms.

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In the same boat as the OP, Just had a conical tank laying around and the idea sounded good… After reading this thread i have more info on the topic. Totally forgot i have Teaming with Microbes - will have to dig it out and dust it off.

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