Compost Tea Trial
Here at BugBrewer, we are so confident that using our Compost Tea Brewers will improve your gardening results, that we are repeating one of our trials, in real-time, to demonstrate the benefits of using Compost Tea, made in one, of our Compost Tea Brewers.
Previous Compost Tea Trials
Last year we at BugBrewer tested our Compost Tea Brewers, with the help of an experienced grower. The tests demonstrated that seeds treated with Compost Tea germinated faster, and grew away faster than seeds where no Compost Tea was used. Eventually the untreated seeds caught up with the treated seeds, as the microbes in their pots gradually built up to levels beneficial to the seedlings.
Compost Tea Trial 2009
To replicate this trial I have pre-soaked four sets of seeds.
Compost Tea trial 1
The seeds are Borage (Borago Officinalis), and Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus Minor). Pictured clockwise from top left are, Yellow Rattle (soaked in Compost Tea), Yellow Rattle (Plain Water), Borage (Plain Water), and Borage (soaked in Compost Tea). The seeds were soaked overnight, and planted out into Rootrainers this morning. The Compost Tea is readily visible in the bottom left dish, staining the water.
I chose Borage because it is a big seed, and allowed me to ensure that only one seed went into each cell. This allows a very rough comparison of germination rate. It will also be possible to compare speed of germination, and growth rates. I have already grown Borage this year, and so know that the seed is viable, and has given me decent germination rates. The same cannot be said for the Yellow Rattle. This is old seed that I had misplaced, so may not be viable. The seed is very similar to Parsnip seed, and clumps when damp, so it was impossible to control the number of seeds in each cell. What is intersting about Yellow Rattle is that it is a parasite of grass, so I have no idea of the sort of microbes with which it might prefer to associate.
This is a very simple trial, using small numbers of seeds, and isn’t as accurate as using larger quantities, but we wanted to demonstrate the benefits of Compost Tea, at the sort of scale that potential customers would be growing.
Conduct of the Compost Tea Trial
I will photograph the seeds at suitable times, and publish the photographs on this blog the same day. We at BugBrewer realise that there is the possibility that this could misfire if the seeds do not behave as we would expect them to, but not only are we convinced of the benefits of using Compost Tea, but we are also confident in the ability of our Compost Tea Brewers to deliver.
Keep watching this site for updates. The next will be when the first seedlings start to appear. Meanwhile, here is a photograph of the trays sat together. For ease of identification the seeds treated with Compost Tea have the large square labels, whilst the untreated ones have the thin labels.
Compost Tea trial 2
BB
The first picture shows both trays, whilst the second shows the tray on which Compost tea has been used. Only one of the seedlings can be clearly seen, the others are not clear, but appear as light patches. I think that I’ll have to sort out my photography.
