What teas do very well is keep the soil mix active with microbial activity which will help keep ph in the proper range for absorption. Fertilizers in liquid form provide npk faster than a solid top dressing because it is already soluble and therefore speeds up decomposition. Every thing you add to the mix must be broken down first in order to be absorbed so it’s good to add both teas and fertilizer on the regular. Don’t try to add too much stuff into your tea at once; everything must still be decomposed to be absorbed and some things take longer than others. Add fertilizers to provide npk and give teas regularly to keep the mix active. Don’t try to combine everything…
You’ll find your mix will probably need aacteas more often in the first few runs of a given soil mix but once well established you’ll need them less and less. Once you have worm castings and organic matter actively decomposing in your soil all the time you won’t have to provide much else other than water. Soil gets better every time you recycle it; this is one reason no till methods work so well.
The best recipe tea recipes are the simplest: less is more…
1-3 cups ewc
1 tblspn molasses
1-3 tsp kelp meal
3-5 gal of water
Add everything to the water and bubble vigorously for 36+ hours. Serve immediately; bubble leftovers for another day or two but toss any remains or sludge afterwards into recycling soil.
I find adding a slow release fertilizer like manure or guano in the containers directly can help prolong the viability of your mix; I add a handful of chicken manure to each final size bloom pot along with 2 Jobes organic spikes. Keeps em green through to harvest.
