I've also been experimenting with making compost teas! I've been brewing in a 5 gallon bucket with a BubbleSnake and an aerator for 24 hours. I then dilute it to a 4:1 ratio and water plants with a watering can. I've used a pump sprayer but it was going to take too long to broadcast...I had not yet thought of it disrupting the microbes though.
Do you know what she specifically said was the issue? Was it the sprayer itself (pressure, or something)? I think as long as you get the spray onto the fields (in the evening or early morning) as quickly as possible then you’re not likely to damage too much of the life. We usually dilute 10 to 1, non-chlorinated water to tea. In my apprenticeship, we used to spread the microbes with a bucket and straw, literally dipping and hdanful of straw (no weed seed) into the mixture then flinging it into the air in the late evening (they were biodynamic so this was called “impregnating the dew” and looked a little crazy, but was rather enjoyable work).
wow, that sounds absolutely delightful! I have wondered how long I can keep the tea around once it's brewed- I try to use it that evening or next morning. A friend told me she'd seen it for sale in stores though- they keep it in the cooler...maybe that sort of hibernates them?
I honestly can’t speak to storage. I personally like to use it fresh, dipping it out while it’s still bubbling. Any extra I have I usually just spray on the pasture.
I put my compost tea and microbial preparations through a venturi siphon into our wobblers. it works real well and i have checked with a microscope to see if it damages fungal hyphae. other than that i use a large watering can for specific applications to a bed here or there.
Sounds like you might be making large batches? How big of batches are yall making? 50 gal drums?!
my vortex brewer makes anywhere from 5-100 gallons at a time. custom built.
I am in the same boat. I would love to use a backpack sprayer to apply my compost tea, but I read that it is really bad for the bacteria. I do not have enough to root drench 1/2 an acre.