Question 1

how often do you use this product

Accepted Answer

I used it once. It was given to me by a Hydroponics Store owner as a freebie. She was unable to sell them. Although they make a decent basic tea for plants, it's rather pricey. You get to make 10/3 gallon batches of tea. This works out to $4 per batch. The complete product contains 10 (90gm) worm casting sachets with 10 "activator" packs (powdered kelp). So for $40 dollars you get to make ten 3 gallon batches of worm casting tea. I used it whenever my neighbor needed a tea for her garden but I already had a batch going for myself in my brewer. She liked them since it enabled her to be able to make tea without help. She is in a wheelchair. It does make a decent tea if used with aeration. An aquarium bubbler would suffice but I had her purchase a larger air pump. I bought this item only for her after we had used up the free bag I had received. For someone that is just using plant teas for houseplants then this would be acceptable I suppose. But consider that you can buy a 30lb bag of worm castings for about $35, a gallon of molasses (which should be used in an aerated tea anyway) for about $10, and other amendments such as kelp, alfalfa meal, and forest compost, which including the worm castings will come to about $60-$70 dollars max. This will enable you to make about 200 gallons of plant tea of a considerable better quality. My recommendation is to weigh your needs and goals before putting out the money for this. If you want to grow organically, truly organically, and wish to do it right, then like I tell people in my gardening class, you first need to understand what you are doing. There are several good books and more than enough websites with information about using teas to add biological diversity into the soil and utilizing nature's soil food web to grow thriving plants, and for vegetables they will be more nutritious, without having to put even on grain of chemical fertilizer into the garden.  Even if for use on just houseplants, you can purchase small bags of worm castings and some powdered kelp (although liquid would be better) for about $20. The wording of the instructions is misleading. Calling a bag of powdered Kelp and "activator" doesn't make me think too much of their scruples in marketing. Just so you don't think I am a sour apple, I do recommend their product called Azos. Azos contains a specialized strain of proteobacteria named Azospirillum brasilense which is a nitrogen fixating soil organism. A. brasilense is not too special as far as nitrogen fixation goes, but it does have some added functions, especially in a crowd of other soil microbes, and produces many plant growth promoting hormones and enzymes. Spend your money on the Azos and then go source your own worm casting tea products.

Question 2

Is one of these packs to strong to use in a 5 gallon brew?

Accepted Answer

One pack can be brewed in 3-5 gals of water and can be applied in full strength.Apply :Pour tea (standard brew or quick brew) full strength around the base of each plant. Follow with a thorough watering.    Rate:  1 - 3 gal container ....... 1 - 2 cups              5 - 7 gal container ....... 3 - 4 cups              10 - 20 gal container ... 5 - 8 cups              25 - 50 gal container ... 1/2 gal - 1 gal              100 gal container ........ 2 - 3 gal      Xtreme Tea Brews may be diluted. Max dilution 1:10      (1 gal of tea for every 10 gal of water).

Question 3

Can I leave a airstone and brew for extended period of time? because I don't have enough plants to use all 5 gallons.. and how is it supposed to smell

Accepted Answer

Yes you can let it brew longer .
You may need to feed it a little molasses .It will have fermented smell .

Question 4

Can I add molases? If so how many tbsp to a 5 gallon mix?

Accepted Answer

Yes,add1tablespoon

Item Weight	2 Pounds
Specific Uses For Product	Root Development, Plant Growth, Soil Conditioning, Seed Development
Coverage	Full
Item Form	Teabags

Xtreme Gardening RT8100 8100 Tea Brews 80 gm Packs 10/ct, 80gm

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