Biologically Complete Compost - BioComplete(TM)
- Covers/Inoculates 1 acre per 0.5 cubic ft of BioComplete(tm) Compost
or smaller areas 730 sqft per 1 cup of BioComplete(tm) Compost
Application Details Breakdown:
- 0.5 cubic ft (~25lbs = 3.7gal = 60 cups) BioComplete(tm) Compost = 43560 sqft (1 acre)
- 10890 sqft (quarter acre) = 15cups (60/4=15)
- 43560/60 = 726sqft/cup of biocomplete compost
- 1 cup/730 sqft = (example area size: 10 ft x 72.6ft)
- may apply every 10days to slowly build microbe population. The advantage of every 10 days at low concentration may use less compost to achieve your biological goals in the soil especially if combined with one or all beneficial biological foods such as molasses (grows bacteria), fish hydrolysate (grows some bacteria and more fungi), liquid seaweed (grows bacteria and fungi) and humic acid (supports all and holds nutrients so they don’t wash away). Higher application rates can save application time but use more extract over time – apply every 1-3 months until biological goals are met.
- Apply as a water extract (see below for details)
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Note: Compost tea (aerated compost with biological foods added) requires more skill and equipment then I can cover here at the moment. Teas make glues so they will stick to plant surfaces. Extract is used to drench/water the soil deeply. Tea applied to the soil will mainly stick to the surface of the soil which maybe much less effective than an extract applied to the soil.
To make a small amount of Extract consider the following instructions:
Note: Use only the tea bag method if on city water and the following before exracting the compost biology into the water. Add a few drops of humic acid* into the water till you see a slight color change. This complexes (binds) with the chlorine and chloramine in the city water making it not harmful to the biology being extracted. *I recommend AEA HumaCarb see footnote 2 – or find another quality water extracted humic acid.
Put one or two cups of compost or less in a 400 micron compost tea bag or fine mesh spaghetti strainer (30 mesh works good – that is about 600 micron).
Tea Bag Method:
1) put about 2-3 gallons of water (or whatever amount of water you require for your soil drench) in a clean 5 gallon bucket
2) let tea bag sit for 5 minutes in the water
3) dunk bag in and out of water and squeeze gently for about one minute (NO aggressive rubbing – that kills the biology)
4) remove what is left in the tea bag – either sprinkle it on your garden or put it back in your compost to get re-inoculated
5) repeat to make more extract
Fine mesh spaghetti strainer:
Note: This method works for making small and large quantities of compost extract
1) install a valve at the end of a garden hose or adjust you faucet valve
2) put the strainer over a 5 gallon bucket
3) open the valve enough to rinse the biology from the compost – not too strong or too light. Just enough to get the amount of water you want to use for your soil drench and enough to wash all the biology from the compost.
4) remove what is left in the strainer – either sprinkle it on your garden or put it back in your compost to get re-inoculated
5) repeat to make more extract
How to apply the extract:
Dilute the extract as much as your application requires. Use a watering can to trench the soil with the extract. Or drill 1/8 inch holes (40-50 holes evenly distributed) in the bottom of a 2 gallon bucket and submerge it in the 5 gallon bucket of extract – lift it out by the handle and drench the soil – work fast depending on number of holes you drill. I recommend about .
Farm scale application methods require eliminating all spray rig filters and 90 degree fittings – these will kill the biology right quick. Some farmers use shaker screens for large scale compost extractions.
1) Use only clean water free of Chlorine and Chloramine and other water contaminates.
2) Chlorine and Chloramine will kill soil biology. Use water extracted humic acid to neutralize (complex) these chemicals. Just add enough to get a slight color change. water extracted humic acid is expensive and difficult to source sometimes. A healthy amount of humic acid comes with the biologically complete compost we sell so just line a small strainer with a chemical free coffee filter and add 1/2 cup of compost. Pour water over compost and let it run through. Use just enough of this treated water to get the slight color change in a white five gallon bucket of water. Tractor Supply sells white five gallon buckets.
Purchase Biologically Complete Compost for Your Garden, Pasture, Nursery...
This specially developed biologically complete compost is carefully maintained to insure rich and diverse beneficial fungi population which most soil and compost are sadly lacking.
It will come with an active biology microscope assessment report (per lot) which will meet or exceed all the current BioComplete(TM) Compost standards. Typically, some of the most important factors in this specially formulated biologically complete compost will be beneficial fungi which usually range from 1000 to 2000 ug/g, protozoa greater than 100,000 to 300,000 count/g and the diversity of beneficial nematodes (bacteria feeding, fungal feeding and omnivores).
5 cups for $19.99 (can inoculate 730 sqft per 1 cup of BioComplete(tm) Compost
15 cups for $49.99 (can inoculate 1/4 acre or 5400sqft two times)
1/2 cubic ft (3.7 gallons = ~60cups) IS BACK!!!! Call for pricing. Usually between $65 and $80 (small batches sometimes make final cost $80/0.5cubic ft) (can inoculate 1 acre)
No Bulk BioComplete(TM) Compost at this time. When available pricing ranges between $750 to $1500 depends on labor/material costs
Application Rate: 4 to 10 cups can treat 3000 sqft (range depends on situation – at 3cups/3000sqft apply every 10days to slowly build microbe population is the most common strategy, depends on how technical/efficient you can afford to measure/be; some factors to consider: sap analysis compared to soil analysis, starting biology active biomass levels in the soil, organic and carbon levels, ph/eh levels, plants solar efficiency(compost teas with biological foods can improve this). (footnote 1) In my opinion and experience a residential garden or forest garden does not need lots of technical testing to get the biology to go in the right direction. Most of the technical measurements mentioned above are for commercial farms working out more efficient processes to manage/balance regenerative and economic goals.
The advantage of every 10 days at low concentration (2 cups per 3000sqft) may use less compost to achieve your biological goals in the soil especially if combined with one or more biological foods such as molasses, fish hydrolysate, liquid seaweed and humic acid (with humins and water extracted – footnote 2). The higher concentrations (4-10cups per 3000sqft) can save application time – at these rates it could be applied every 1-3 months until biological goals are met.
You can use this biologically complete compost to create a water compost extract which is great for inoculating the soil and to get it deep into the soil (add clean water). Application rate: 0.5 cubic ft can cover 5000 sq. ft (with multiple applications about 5 to 8.5 applications depending on biological foods/roots and regenerative strategy) as a simple water extract (refer to the top of this page for instructions).
A typical large acreage application is ~25lbs(~3.7gallons = 1/2cuft) per acre as a water extract – that’s $15.88/acre @ $750/yard (750/(27*2)); 27cuft/yrd). It could be applied 4x per year to minimize trips across the field. The concentration and frequency depends on your application and plant/soil/animal management.
You can also make a compost tea that can be used as a foliar application – aerobically grown teas grow great natural glues so it can stick to the plants surfaces. It takes more skill and time to make a compost tea yet they can create a faster response when formulated and applied correctly.
Footnotes:
1: Dr. David White Rhizophagy cycle papers and youtube lectures and John Kempf (AEA podcast/researcher interviews/field observations – https://advancingecoag.com)
2: I currently use and recommend AEA product HumaCarb (www.advancedecoag.com)