ACC: DIY aerated compost tea

What is it needed for

Having received basic knowledge of biology in the framework of the school curriculum, the overwhelming majority perceives vegetation as a passive consumer of nutrients, which directs the active growth of its roots in the direction where the required elements are located. However, according to research by scientists, the roots are much more active in plant nutrition. They secrete certain liquid substances that serve as bait for various microorganisms. So, if nitrogen is required, then compounds appear that attract nitrogen-fixing bacteria or receive it as a result of photosynthesis of algae. To obtain phosphorus, bacteria or symbiotic fungi that extract it from minerals are attracted by the roots. Also, the roots actively utilize the trace elements of earthworm excrement found in easily assimilated chelate complexes.

This property of the roots determines the effectiveness of the use of ANC, with the help of which a certain community of useful soil organisms is formed. Compost tea is full of beneficial microorganisms that stimulate active growth and protect plants from pathogens. Moreover, the plant itself chooses the components it requires, that is, this drug is applicable for any soil.

In foreign countries, the method of using ACC has been mastered quite well and has been actively used for more than a decade. The vast majority of the owners of suburban areas in our country were introduced to it by G. Raspopov, who began to actively promote compost tea in 2013. Before that, only a few gardeners knew about this drug, having obtained information from English-speaking sources.

The bioactive and mineral substances included in the ACC are vigorously absorbed both by the root system and by the leaves. The stomata of the latter remain open for a longer time, which contributes to more active photosynthesis. This leads to an increase in fruit size and an increase in yield, and also contributes to a much richer color of leaves and flowers of ornamental plantings.

If aerated compost tea is used to spray vegetation, it becomes covered with beneficial aerobic microorganisms, which increase disease resistance by destroying pathogens and reducing the infectious background. All dead organic matter is processed in a short time and is part of the soil. In addition, the introduction of ANC makes the near-surface layer of the soil lumpy and porous, which increases its ability to retain moisture.

The beneficial microfauna included in compost tea helps to cleanse the soil from accumulated harmful chemicals and heavy metals, and reduces the level of toxicity of herbicides and pesticides.In addition, the need for the use of chemicals harmful to all living things is significantly reduced, since ACC is able to replace not only chemical fertilizers and fertilizing, but a wide range of fungicides and herbicides. Why, with such undoubted advantages, aerated compost tea is still the lot of enthusiasts like Raspopov and has not become widely used.

This is explained by rather tough market competition, when a lot of money has already been spent on advertising such EM drugs as Baikal and Radiance. They are known to the general public, and their use has a noticeable effect. They are also readily available and easy to use. But the ACC, the method of application of which Raspopov suggests, should be made independently and it is suitable for use for a limited time. Therefore, even in spite of the fact that its composition is much richer than those containing only anaerobic bacteria and fungi of EO preparations, there is still no interest in its wide advertising and active promotion in our country.

Video "Description of the preparation of aerated compost tea"

Step-by-step instructions from a specialist in making high-quality aerated compost tea with your own hands

How and where is it used

Concentrated compost tea is used for root feeding. Moreover, it is poured into the soil directly near the plants. As it seeps into the depths, the solution nourishes the roots with the substances necessary for optimal development. The rains have practically no effect on such feeding.

Experience also shows that such a concentrate restores well the fertility of depleted soils. To do this, the site should be dug up, covered with a layer of plant residues about 10 centimeters thick, and abundantly watered with ACC several times during the summer. In two years on such soil it will be possible to get a good harvest of even very capricious vegetable crops.

For foliar feeding of plants, Raspopov recommends the use of a pre-filtered preparation. For this purpose, it is filtered through a fabric filter (for example, sackcloth) and diluted with clean water that does not contain chlorine harmful to microorganisms in a ratio of 1 to 10. The color of the resulting liquid should resemble weakly brewed tea. Then add vegetable oil at the rate of 1/8 teaspoon for every 4 liters of the drug. This is done so that after spraying, the liquid is retained longer on the leaves of plants. After rain, the mixture must be sprayed again. It must also be remembered that the microorganisms of the creature are quite fragile, so the drug should not be applied under pressure.

Making compost tea

Making compost tea rich in nutrients is easy - just soaking mature compost in water. The result is a mild liquid fertilizer saturated with beneficial microelements and organisms. It can be used at any stage of plant development. There are also many useful nutrients in the compost itself, however, the introduction of a dry substrate into the soil is a rather laborious process, which is carried out in the spring or autumn during digging or plowing, intended for planting vegetable crops of the territories. In addition, composting of already planted plants is quite problematic to carry out.

In addition, the use of aeration during the infusion of compost increases the number of useful biota present in the solution hundreds of times. This happens due to the active reproduction of various aerobic microorganisms: bacteria, protozoa, fungi, nematodes, etc. The preparation process usually takes about a day and special equipment is sold abroad to obtain it. But at home, improvised means are quite applicable for this.

To obtain a quality aerated compost tea, only ready-made, matured compost should be used. Too old compost, like unseasoned compost, contains insufficient amounts of nutrients. Liquid fertilizer can also be obtained from manure in this way, however, the composition of such a drug will not be balanced enough and it is not recommended to use it otherwise than for root feeding.

Long-term foreign experience in the preparation of ACC shows that it can be prepared from high-quality compost within an hour, and if it is infused for a week, a superconcentrate is obtained. The golden mean is the preparation of a universal preparation for use within 24 - 48 hours. Such a solution is optimally saturated with nutrients, bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms useful for plants.

DIY ACC

To prepare ACC at home according to the method proposed by Raspopov, you will need a three-liter container, into which two liters of pure, by no means chlorinated water are poured. You should not pour more water, since the foam formed during the preparation of the drug will begin to flow out of the container. Next, add a glass (about 70 grams) of mature compost and 10 - 20 ml of beet molasses or molasses (can be purchased in stores that sell goods for fishermen). Experience shows that it is also possible to use fructose in the form of a fermented jam.

Having received additional nutrition with a source of sugars, microorganisms begin to multiply rapidly in conditions of active access of oxygen. A compressor designed for aquariums with two nozzles is used for aeration. In a day, the finished compost tea should smell like fresh spring forest soil. If it has an unpleasant putrid smell, then it should not be used to fertilize plants. The preparation prepared in this way is suitable for use within four hours.

Video "Making aerated compost tea"

Method of making aerated anti-weed compost tea at home