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EcoTea
Feb 25, 2023 21:28:36 GMT -6
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Post by steigerguy on Feb 25, 2023 21:28:36 GMT -6
I used it on corn and the tests was a 10 bushel advantage with equal fertilizer. Tried no starter fertilizer (20 lbs of n) and that yielded 2 bu an acre less. Need to do more trials to confirm but it looked good enough to try again. Definitely had more root mass. Used it on canola and oats in furrow and the results all showed about a 2-4 bu yield drag if I cut back on the fertilizer the same dollar amount spent on the tea. Did hear later that there has been better results with seed dressing. Done one year with the residue digester and the ground sure seems more mellow the next spring. Where I sprayed it on corn residue that area of the field the canola avereged 7 bu an acre more. Could've been some other factors played in there too so will need more trials but it looks promising.
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EcoTea
Feb 25, 2023 21:36:11 GMT -6
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Post by kevlar on Feb 25, 2023 21:36:11 GMT -6
So would this be something that you would have to apply every year, or would it slowly build up in the soil and only need it every few years? I tried reading up on it but couldn’t get the information I was looking for off their website. Or is it more to do with getting the crop growing quicker?
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Post by steigerguy on Feb 27, 2023 21:31:46 GMT -6
Not sure about that but I think if a person would go no till and quit killing or setting back the microbes all the time it should get to the point where it doesn't need to be applied. Stuff I've read about guys that are really big into the soil health for quite a few years don't see a benefit from it.
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EcoTea
Mar 3, 2023 21:44:11 GMT -6
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Post by kevlar on Mar 3, 2023 21:44:11 GMT -6
Did you go to the meeting Optimally? What did you get from it, if anything?
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EcoTea
Mar 4, 2023 1:04:26 GMT -6
Post by OptimallyDismal on Mar 4, 2023 1:04:26 GMT -6
Yes I did, did you?
I have more questions than answers.
They say the goal is to get away from fungicides and maybe pesticides, that's good, BUT, am I really prepared to not fungicide my wheat etc? If I do, I kill the fungus component of the tea.
Asked about applying it on treated canola seed, will the coating kill the tea? Turns out that it is most likely it will do harm, but not sure how much as results vary. It is not compatible with a Raxil type product either.
They have several products, dry for seed treatment, liquid seed treatment, liquid digester that is sprayed on the crop residue to assist decomposition. You can use your sprayer but you have to incorporate it, so a sprayer set up on harrows would be best$$
They also have an in furrow application that would require a liquid kit on the seeding tool, also $$ if you don't have that system.
Didn't really get a firm answer about conflicts with products like Edge, but probably has a negative effect. I can't see a way around using weed controls, but they probably will also kill some of the tea components.
They said they have people that have used the tea for 12 years, I asked if they were still using the same rate, or if it has to be adjusted, also one might think that if it gets established it may be self sustaining? Not so much they say.
I can see the idea they are trying for, but I am thinking farming has dug themselves into a deep hole of dependence on chemicals and the transition to get the better soil biology will be a very difficult undertaking, with the added pressure of a toxic government attitude to farming not helping. They strongly hinted that sustainable farming will be forced on us soon, this I believe, amongst all the other factors we face in the constantly changing world of farming.
I would like to try this, and the dry seed treatment is probably going to be my starting point, for sure on wheat. They say it should be able to replace Raxil type treatments, as a stronger healthier plant can fend off pathogens and thrive naturally.
The guys that are using this are forging ahead with it, they are positive in their opinions, side note, there were a lot of European accents there, which was interesting, I think a bit less than half of attendees were born here, and it is still a rather new concept for us that only know North American practices.
They were quite up front that results will very with soil types and moisture levels.
Lots to think about, and I will be having a talk with Carlisle Liquid Starters as they are my supplier, we have been talking about Top Phos, and I am curious if they know how it works with the tea.
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EcoTea
Mar 4, 2023 8:07:58 GMT -6
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Post by kevlar on Mar 4, 2023 8:07:58 GMT -6
No I didn’t make it, had grain to haul and never got registered to go, had a mixup in the dates.
I usually seem to end up having more questions than answers when I go to stuff like that. We might be switching to liquid fertilizer next year so sounds like it might be easier to work with that stuff then, maybe give it a try then.
I wonder if there is a soil test you can do to see if it would be of any benefit? We very seldom ever spray fungicides, and don’t have the need to, maybe that’s a good sign that our soil health is doing good and wouldn’t need this stuff anyway?
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Post by OptimallyDismal on Mar 4, 2023 8:55:21 GMT -6
It sounds like a microscope is the way they see what there is for the beneficial micro organisms, as well as signs like earthworms and fungus growth.
I am sure they would say you would benefit from their product!
They also were saying the types of fertilizer matters too, with NH3 being very toxic, which I believe. That said, it is what I use mostly.
On a side note I still don't understand how gassing off a product that is 82% nitrogen in an environment that is 78+% nitrogen makes that much difference?
I asked right at the start that if the soil was healthy there wouldn't be much benefit, they said no one has soil that healthy!
Luckily I ate an extra donut to make up for your absence!
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