Frequently Asked Questions

What is Aerated Compost Tea?

Aerated Compost Tea is a liquid solution of live, beneficial microbes which are extracted from living compost (vermicompost) and multiplied exponentially during the aerated brewing process.

Marin Soil Solutions' Aerated Compost Tea is made with nutrient rich vermicompost, neutralized water and a specially formulated catalyst to grow beneficial microbe populations exponentially. Marin Soil Solutions can create unique blends for customized applications that include trace mineral elements, Norwegian sea kelp extract and mycorrhizae.

Why use Aerated Compost Tea-why is it so good?

In short, compost tea feeds the soil – but is does so at an accelerated rate compared to a top-dressed application of compost. Aerated compost tea is teeming with microbial life and it is these microbes that establish a balanced nutrient cycle that create healthy, functioning, sustainable soil.

Benefits include: Improved soil structure Accelerated improvement of soil condition, increased soil porosity, better air flow and water retention, and highly soluble plant nutrients.

What is Vermicompost? Why is it good?

Vermicompost is the end product of composting utilizing red wigglers worms to create a heterogeneous mixture of castings

Vermicompost is considered by many gardeners to be the best nutrient rich, organic fertilizer and soil conditioner available. Also known as worm castings, worm humus or worm manure, it is the end-product of the breakdown of organic matter. The biology of the worm's digestion facilitates the growth of fungus and bacteria that are very beneficial to plant growth and overall health. Vermicompost contains readily available, water-soluble nutrients and is an excellent, nutrient-rich organic fertilizer and soil conditioner. The process of producing vermicompost is called Vermicomposting.

Are these products Safe? Do they have any odor?

Aerated Compost Tea is a natural product and is completely safe around children and pets. The Compost Tea and the Vermicompost have no odor. How Much Is Needed? Depending on soil quality, a garden may need anywhere from 2 to 6 applications. Ideally a top dressing of compost with an application of ACT is ideal.

Chemical fertilizers – what is the deal?

Chemical or synthetic fertilizers feed only the plants, not the soil, and they destroy a portion of the beneficial soil organisms with every application. They delete the benefits of healthy soil and create an unpleasant environment for earthworms. Once the soil health is diminished, the plants are dependent on a regular cycle of feedings of fertilizer which can become a costly endeavor. Studies have shown that plants only absorb only 20-30% of the chemical feed. The remaining fertilizer not taken by the plant ends up leaching into the soil and, in many cases, ends up in the groundwater.

What is the Soil Foodweb?

The tea feeds the soil which, in turn, feeds the plant. Good compost, Compost Tea and Vermicompost add a plethora of soluble plant nutrients and growth compounds, a diverse microbial population, and organic matter that provide an ongoing supply of nutrients. The plant receives a consistent and reliable food source when bacteria and fungi feed on the organic matter. This sub-surface microbial activity releases some of the nutrients to the soil and retains others for their own energy and reproduction. When nematodes and protozoa in turn feed upon them, the nutrients stored in the bacterial and fungal cell walls are released to the soil in a highly soluble plant available form. When we feed organic matter to the soil, the soil life feeds nutrients to the plant. The nutrients stored in organic matter and the bodies of the microbial life are not lost through irrigation to contaminate ground water. Hair-thin fungal tentacles (hyphae) wrap around soil and organic matter particles in their search for food, forming aggregates that create great soil structure. Both the fungi and the organic matter are held in the soil. Bacteria exude a sticky "superglue" (mucous) called glomalin that enable them to cling to solid particles of mineral and organic matter, ensuring they too remain in the soil and, like the fungi, aid in the formation of aggregates.