offdababa 6,697 Posted February 28, 2014 All you need to brew tea's your plants will LOVE is: 1. 5 gallon bucket (or similar) 2. Airpump, airline and a airstone. 3. Water and nutrients. (Kelp meal, blood meal, Earth Worm Castings, Bat Guano, alfalfa, ect.) This way of growing many feel makes a better product, is productive, and will save tons of money over buying over-priced bottled goo. Here you can see my set up. Air pump (cheap, dependable and $2 to rebuild ) with a 6 way valve. From there I run two airlines to basic blue air stones and into 5 gallon buckets. Here is what I am going to use for nutrients. Ground alfalfa, Kelp, Bat guano (which I think is too expensive these days, but I had some to use), and not pictured some EWC (Earth Worm Castings). I always heard of ladies nylons working as great "tea-bags". So I stuffed some of the nutes into one. I found it to be more hassle than its worth, as the nylon wanted float, and I went back to just dumping the nutes into the bucket Either way, it'll look like this for a couple days and you will have tea! How long to brew and what to add has all to do with what is available to you and what your trying to accomplish. Generally 2-3 days is good and anything water soluble it suitable. You want the tea to look like tea you would drink. So if the tea is really strong and dark, you can add water to it until it looks like sun tea. With one strong veg tea and one flower tea going you can custom tailor your feedings to each plant by adding more or less of the combinations of teas to each plant to suit its needs. The dog Photo-bombed me! If you have any questions or suggestions for your needs, please post em up and you will be helped shortly! Mother nature WORKS! 9 CatManMoo, keoni, EDDIEKIRK and 6 others reacted to this Disappointment is caused by unrealistic expectations. / The more I learn about people the more I like my dog. / Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right. / Its like everything it depends on everything else. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MedicalManny 2,779 Posted February 28, 2014 Very Nice!!! I do an almost identical Tea Brew to this one. 3 offdababa, Ranchero65 and EDDIEKIRK reacted to this Each One, Teach One Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
offdababa 6,697 Posted February 28, 2014 Very Nice!!! I do an almost identical Tea Brew to this one. I have tried lots of ways, but I aint seen a better way, overall. Very cool Zero, Ya do anything different, have anything to add I missed? This is kinda a Tea brewing 101, as I remember when people told me of doing this I was like "what the...." lol . One thing Ill say is couple shots of molasses will sustain the tea for a day or two, feeding the microbes, but don't be one that uses gallons of the stuff. lol. 3 bonelessme, EDDIEKIRK and Ranchero65 reacted to this Disappointment is caused by unrealistic expectations. / The more I learn about people the more I like my dog. / Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right. / Its like everything it depends on everything else. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MedicalManny 2,779 Posted February 28, 2014 Very Nice!!! I do an almost identical Tea Brew to this one. I have tried lots of ways, but I aint seen a better way, overall. Very cool Zero, Ya do anything different, have anything to add I missed? This is kinda a Tea brewing 101, as I remember when people told me of doing this I was like "what the...." lol . One thing Ill say is couple shots of molasses will sustain the tea for a day or two, feeding the microbes, but don't be one that uses gallons of the stuff. lol. the tsp of molasses in the 5gal bucket, to kick-start the microbial life-cycle goes in to every batch that I brew (but thats just me, I guess). The only other difference is the EM1 (Lacto Basillus) that I throw in to the mix (alongside the EWC, Guano, kelp meal, and blood meal). Although not really a requirement for the brew, the benefits of EM1 are well-documented; and because rice is the staple or our diet, it would really be a waste NOT to do it. 6 EDDIEKIRK, CatManMoo, Ranchero65 and 3 others reacted to this Each One, Teach One Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bonelessme 1,428 Posted February 28, 2014 way cool odb im looking into making teas when i go organic this summer great job freind 3 EDDIEKIRK, MedicalManny and offdababa reacted to this GOT THE GROWING BUG I DO TRYING AGAIN LOW RIDER # 2 AND CROP KING SEEDS EARLY MISS AUTO FEM CROP KING SEEDS NORTHERN LIGHTS AUTO FEMS running coco using JAKES THREE PART FERTILIZER AND JAKES ROOT GROWTH STIMULANT ,AND JAKES vb-1 VITAMIN B-1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
offdababa 6,697 Posted February 28, 2014 If it costs more than $1 a pound I am out! I have had buds bigger than 2L bottles hangin all over plants without anything fancy. OOO's bananagum in fact I think you can get 90% cheap and easy, and you really got pay and fight for the remaining 10% IME. It all aint worth it to me or my pocket book. Im real interested in your experiences and results with the EM1. I think even Kak endorsed that stuff.... Boneless, Makin teas and amended soil was introduced to me by AnotherTime and he coaxed me through it. I am sure gurus running hydro and chems would win a GPW contest, although not by as much as some would think. There is something so spiritual about growing as mother nature intended and rewarding! 6 Ranchero65, CatManMoo, EDDIEKIRK and 3 others reacted to this Disappointment is caused by unrealistic expectations. / The more I learn about people the more I like my dog. / Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right. / Its like everything it depends on everything else. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatManMoo 2,176 Posted February 28, 2014 Awesome info I have been wondering about this. Nice photobomb too! 2 offdababa and EDDIEKIRK reacted to this “You have control over your work alone, never the fruit.” "If you don't try to be great, you don't really even have a good chance of being good" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steelheadguy 101 Posted February 28, 2014 How far will a 5 gallon bucket go? 1 offdababa reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
offdababa 6,697 Posted February 28, 2014 How far will a 5 gallon bucket go? It depends on how much nutrients you put in the bucket. If you brew a weak tea with little nutrients, it may feed a few plants. If you make a strong tea with much nutrients and dilute it down with water as you feed the plants a 5 gallon bucket of tea could feed a large flowering room. If you amend your soil heavily as I do, you would need less tea as well. If you amend your soil lightly like Dudz and Eloquent solution do, you would need more tea. if you had a 2-3K flower and a large veg area this two bucket system would be fine. 1 MedicalManny reacted to this Disappointment is caused by unrealistic expectations. / The more I learn about people the more I like my dog. / Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right. / Its like everything it depends on everything else. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steelheadguy 101 Posted March 1, 2014 How much of each part do you put in the 5 gallons? Would you consider this a strong or weak tea? To be stretched over how many plants/sizes? Where is a good place to buy alfalfa? I know the grow shop has it but it has to be cheaper elsewhere. 1 offdababa reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
offdababa 6,697 Posted March 1, 2014 How much of each part do you put in the 5 gallons? Would you consider this a strong or weak tea? To be stretched over how many plants/sizes? Where is a good place to buy alfalfa? I know the grow shop has it but it has to be cheaper elsewhere I have no exact recipe, it always depends on what the plant wants or what I am trying to accomplish with the tea. Here is a link to tea recipes though. http://freemygreenpdx.com/topic/3088-tea-recipies/ It is very hard to mess up. The parameters for success are wide. With that said...I dumped maybe 2.5 handfuls of Kelp, 1.5 of alfalfa grass, three or four of the EWC and maybe a quarter hand full each of the bat guanos. This tea is for young plants growin in Pro-mix. The EWC provide the little beasties, Kelp for K, Alfalfa for N and TCN , and the bat guano gives me some P, while the Mexican variety gives another source of N to the young plants starting to veg. I will scoop a few cups of this tea into every couple gallons water as I feed them. I think this tea is probably average strength for its intended usage. Ill water perhaps 10 20 gallon totes with it. I always suggest getting your Alfalfa and other soil amendments from your local farm store! $20 should buy you a 50 pound bag of Alfalfa. 1 CatManMoo reacted to this Disappointment is caused by unrealistic expectations. / The more I learn about people the more I like my dog. / Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right. / Its like everything it depends on everything else. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatManMoo 2,176 Posted May 28, 2014 Brewing my first batch of tea tonight. Just a few questions: 1) If I use a pantyhose, do I put the airstone into the pantyhose packed with the ingredients? 2) My airpump has two ports and I have two airstones. I am just brewing up 2 gallons of tea. Do I need both stones in the brew or is one enough? 2 EDDIEKIRK and offdababa reacted to this “You have control over your work alone, never the fruit.” "If you don't try to be great, you don't really even have a good chance of being good" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EDDIEKIRK 11,803 Posted May 28, 2014 Brewing my first batch of tea tonight. Just a few questions: 1) If I use a pantyhose, do I put the airstone into the pantyhose packed with the ingredients? 2) My airpump has two ports and I have two airstones. I am just brewing up 2 gallons of tea. Do I need both stones in the brew or is one enough? Put the airstone/s right in the bag. Two is better than one. (You need to weigh it down) 2 offdababa and CatManMoo reacted to this CLICK HERE TO REGISTER *How to become a private member here at PIF* Don't be shy! Join us on facebookFollow us on twitter@ommpeddieAbout paying it forward*To enter the private rooms please click here* Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatManMoo 2,176 Posted May 28, 2014 Thanks EDDIE! 2 EDDIEKIRK and offdababa reacted to this “You have control over your work alone, never the fruit.” "If you don't try to be great, you don't really even have a good chance of being good" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
offdababa 6,697 Posted June 14, 2014 odb to keep ur nylons wet lol go to a wrecking yard or a metal shop and pick up a piece of stainless steal plate put it in the nylon as well as yur tea nutes no more floating panty hose my bro!!! Thanks brother! Good tip! I got a piece of stainless sumthin around im sure! Great idea! also in my opinion and its just mine but a tblsp of blackstrap molasses per 5 gal bucket sure speeds up the micro herd.By the way i sure like yur dog!!! Yeah, that seems to be the consensus. As always great info man! And that is the BEST list of ingredients I have seen, thanks for sharing that man, Im sure Ill reference that frequently. BTW man, we need to catch up, ring me up sometime man! Been too long. Brewing my first batch of tea tonight. Just a few questions: 1) If I use a pantyhose, do I put the airstone into the pantyhose packed with the ingredients? 2) My airpump has two ports and I have two airstones. I am just brewing up 2 gallons of tea. Do I need both stones in the brew or is one enough? EK has ya sorted I think, good luck MOO! Sorry I was away and didnt provide a answer for ya's. Disappointment is caused by unrealistic expectations. / The more I learn about people the more I like my dog. / Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right. / Its like everything it depends on everything else. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RonVonWeeden 197 Posted August 4, 2014 Offtobaba: would it be ok to feed once a week with my fox farm big bloom and tiger bloom nutes and then use the guano tea the next week or will the fox farm kill the microbes in the soil? I use the fox farm BB and TT at 1/2 strength. I was thinking following you method and adding my ff nutes the last hr or so of brew . Something like this: 1. Brew your tea in a five gallon bucket and cut that in half with water making ten gal 2. Add my fox farm nutes at 1/4 to half strength the last hr or so of brew time. 3. feed as needed Or should I dump the ff big bloom and tiger bloom and use tea only ? I do use a product called sea green for a soil drench. -Ron 1 offdababa reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RonVonWeeden 197 Posted August 4, 2014 One more thing Offdababa: I use ocean forest soil cut with perlite and let my plants use up the nitrogen in the soil so no need for fox farm grow big . I do like using the big bloom and tiger bloom through flower with a little cha ching half way through with a good flush before harvest. With having a little more time around the house these days I'm thinking making tea would be fun plus beneficial to my plants. Just call me newbee! lol Any suggestions would be much appreciated.. 1 offdababa reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
offdababa 6,697 Posted August 4, 2014 One more thing Offdababa: I use ocean forest soil cut with perlite and let my plants use up the nitrogen in the soil so no need for fox farm grow big . I do like using the big bloom and tiger bloom through flower with a little cha ching half way through with a good flush before harvest. With having a little more time around the house these days I'm thinking making tea would be fun plus beneficial to my plants. Just call me newbee! lol Any suggestions would be much appreciated.. My suggestion would be not to use fox farm and grow organically. You could use the soil and tea it heavy until you have it down for a plant or two, then switch out the soil if you wish.... Disappointment is caused by unrealistic expectations. / The more I learn about people the more I like my dog. / Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right. / Its like everything it depends on everything else. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RonVonWeeden 197 Posted August 4, 2014 One more thing Offdababa: I use ocean forest soil cut with perlite and let my plants use up the nitrogen in the soil so no need for fox farm grow big . I do like using the big bloom and tiger bloom through flower with a little cha ching half way through with a good flush before harvest. With having a little more time around the house these days I'm thinking making tea would be fun plus beneficial to my plants. Just call me newbee! lol Any suggestions would be much appreciated.. My suggestion would be not to use fox farm and grow organically. You could use the soil and tea it heavy until you have it down for a plant or two, then switch out the soil if you wish.... Your saying stop using FF nutes but its ok to use the FF soil ? what medium mix would you suggest with the tea after I dump the FF nutes? Thanks 1 offdababa reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
offdababa 6,697 Posted August 4, 2014 FF or any soil of your choice will work, I prefer sunshine mix or pro mix and a bunch of course perlite. I also ammend my soil quite a but with goods from the farm store, so I dont have to teas as often. You can add nothing to the soil of your choice and heavily tea the plants, or you can ammend heavily and barely tea, or anywhere in between. It is much a matter of preference IMO. I will happily help ya through it if interested. 1 EDDIEKIRK reacted to this Disappointment is caused by unrealistic expectations. / The more I learn about people the more I like my dog. / Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right. / Its like everything it depends on everything else. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RonVonWeeden 197 Posted August 5, 2014 Hello Offdababa: I would love it if you can help out with a tea recipe! Should I pm you with my set up or should I post whats going on with my grow on this post? -Ron 2 offdababa and EDDIEKIRK reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
offdababa 6,697 Posted August 5, 2014 anyway you want it, if you make it a individual topic you will get more responses from folks prolly, but whatever suits your fancy man. Im down for whatever. LOL 1 EDDIEKIRK reacted to this Disappointment is caused by unrealistic expectations. / The more I learn about people the more I like my dog. / Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right. / Its like everything it depends on everything else. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RonVonWeeden 197 Posted August 5, 2014 (edited) Lol : I'm running 6 plants in three gal pots and just put them on 16/8 for three days and then 12/12 for flower. my plants in veg are living on the ff soil with no nutes. I have been using the ff big bloom and Tiger bloom with a little molasses and sea green mixed then ph before water. 4x4x7 space 600 watt super crop style I have been following the ff feeding schedule minus all the other junk they suggest and cutting there feeding amount in half. I just picked up a bunch of Roots organics samples of guano and seabird, will this work ? http://www.beneficialbiologics.com/index.php/sea-green http://www.aurorainnovations.org/phos-bat-guano.html 0-7-0 http://www.aurorainnovations.org/seabird-guano-rootsorganics.html 0-12-0 -Ron Edited August 5, 2014 by RonVonWeeden 1 offdababa reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
offdababa 6,697 Posted August 6, 2014 One thing that stands out to me immediately is sea green appears to be a supplement, adding bacteria and so forth...and the last two are only P no N or K. So as a set for a nutrient regime they seem a odd fit, but each could be used and have their place. If you want to stop spending your $ and time on growing and want a near fool proof method I highly recommend looking at these posts. http://freemygreenpdx.com/topic/4756-vic-highs-old-school-organic-soils/ http://freemygreenpdx.com/topic/5452-organic-soil-mix/ http://freemygreenpdx.com/topic/3088-tea-recipies/ This style of growin usually doesn't require much from the hydro store. I am not one to get the last 10% out of a plant, 5%? I am lazy, cheap and have better things to do then fondle weeds all day So consider my perspective. LOL. Disappointment is caused by unrealistic expectations. / The more I learn about people the more I like my dog. / Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right. / Its like everything it depends on everything else. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RonVonWeeden 197 Posted August 6, 2014 I too don't have the time to babysit plants all day so what I am looking for is a simple tea recipe with a feeding schedule, The soil mix and all in the post you sent me sound good if I had the room to store everything plus I'm only growing 6 plants for my wife's needs. The super crop method I use is two fill out my room without doing all the tie down crap and I could care less about huge harvest, I just want clean chem free meds. Thank you for the help and info.. I will keep reading on! -Ron 1 offdababa reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites