American Plant Food Company is a dynamic, family owned, independent garden center with deep roots in our community for 80 years. Over the years our goals have evolved into a commitment to promote EarthWise gardening through our staff, customers and community for the health of our environment for future generations.

EarthWise gardening means adopting good gardening practices so plants can flourish naturally, without reliance on chemical pesticides. The use of chemical products in our gardens over the years has destroyed most of the benficial microorganisms, reducing organic matter and creating compact, infertile soils. Gardens dependent on the use of chemicals are more likely to suffer from insects, disease and drought conditions.

Feed the Soil

Feeding the soil may be a new concept to some of you, but you might have heard us talking about this in the stores. To help any particular plant produce its own defense mechanisms to fight off disease and insects, we need to replenish the soil. Over the years/centuries we have killed off many or most of the beneficial soil organisms that plants use to create their own self defense systems. We have done this with repeated applications of chemical (fast releasing) fertilizers and the application of many different types of insecticides, fungicides and herbicides.

APF would like our customers to begin to rebuild their soils so that plants can become strong and healthy and insects & disease might be naturally controlled. Established plantings would benefit with the application of humic acids in either spray or granular form. 'Roots', 'Rich Earth' or liquid compost are products that should be used. The use of organic fertilizer will continue the process. Organic fertilizers like 'Plant-tone' not only feed the soil but also do the more traditional job of feeding the particular plants they are used on.

For new plantings the use of a composted soil conditioner mixed with our existing soil gets your plant off on the right foot. Prepare your backfill by mixing 'Bumper Crop' or 'LeafGro' in equal proportions with the existing soil. In the hole, before backfill, you should also add a few handfuls of 'Rich Earth' and/or organic kelp and a packet of 'Soil Moist' Transplant Formula (beneficial microorganism not found in the before mentioned products). Water the planting in well with 'Iron Roots 2' or Neptune's Harvest 'Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer'.

Both established and new plantings will benefit from the addition of earthworms and earthworm castings. They are a great addition to the soil and add to the overall health of the plants. We can begin to restore the earth one square foot at a time, or one yard at a time, or one acre, or one village at a time. Begin to help your plants recreate their own self defense systems.

Have You Tried Compost Tea
In Your Garden Yet?

This past spring APF introduced Compost Tea to the Washington area. After seeing great results, many gardeners now come back every weekend to refill their gallon or quart container with more fresh brewed Compost Tea.

This concentrated liquid compost extract is teeming with live beneficial microorganisms, and is the best way we've found to 'feed the soil'. We now know that a healthy soil environment is the key to healthy plants. A healthy soil is one that is alive with beneficial microorganisms. These microorganisms are responsible for producing robust plants, more resistant to insect and disease problems and plants and trees that are more productive and able to withstand extremes in temperature and moisture.

When planting trees, shrubs and perennials or renovating your lawn, Compost Tea will help your new plants get established quickly, with less transplant shock and faster root development. Compost Tea can enhance the germination of grass seed and development of the new roots as well. Existing plants and lawns benefit just as much from Compost Tea.

We'll have fresh brewed Compost Tea available on Saturdays and Sundays in quarts and gallons May through October. Be sure to check for brew times.

We're Having A Tea Party

Compost Tea that is! As part of our continuing effort to improve the health of our plants, and our concern for the health of our environment and community, American Plant Food introduces Compost Tea to Washington area gardeners.

You've heard us talk about 'feeding the soil', and how important beneficial microorganisms are to the health of our plants. These microorganisms help produce robust plants, resistant to insect and disease problems and plants and trees that are more productive and able to withstand extremes in temperature and moisture.

Well, we've found a way to get these organisms back into the soil, and onto the leaf surface, rapidly, in incredibly high numbers never before obtainable.

A November Washington Post article by Adrian Higgins proclaimed the benefits of Compost Tea, and this spring we will be 'brewing' our own 'tea'. an aerobic water extract of compost. In other words, oxygenated water is circulated through the compost and beneficial microorganisms are extracted. To this oxygenated, circulating water we add 'food' for the microorganisms and they begin to reproduce at never before seen rates. 24 hours later the 'brew' is ready to apply to your soil, around plants or directly onto the leaf surface. You'll be amazed at the results! Want more tomatoes, bigger and earlier than ever 'Drench 'em with Compost Tea.

Want big, beautiful roses with disease free foliage? Spray 'em with Compost Tea. Want a lawn that stays greener during hot, dry weather? Compost Tea's the answer.
Because this 'tea' is a concentrated solution teeming with life, it is very perishable and must be used within 4-6 hours of 'brewing', although in the soil these organisms can keep on working for months. Therefore, we'll only have this available on certain 'brew dates' Saturday & Sundays from May through October.

Compost Tea

We now have the equipment and the technology to produce a biologically concentrated liquid compost extract called 'Compost Tea'. This aerobically 'brewed' tea contains soluble nutrients from the compost, but more importantly, an enormous diversity of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and nematodes are extracted and encouraged to grow to incredibly high numbers over a 24 hour period.
The tea can be applied to the soil, to turf or to the foliage (or around the base) of ornamental plants or fruits and vegetables- all plants in the garden will benefit from compost tea.

So how do you 'brew' this tea?
First of all, the tea is not a thermal brew, but an aerobic, or oxygenated water extract. The 22 gallon brewer is filled with tap water and first allowed to run for an hour to de-gas the chlorine. Approximately 2-4 lbs. of compost is added to the brew bag which is then suspended in the water. A pump now begins circulating the water at the proper intensity. At this time the nutrient mix is added to the circulating water.

What's the nutrient mix for?
Microorganisms feed on this nutrient mix which is a blend of molasses (a simple sugar) for bacteria, and kelp, hydrolyzed fish and humates for fungi.

Remember, we're trying to 'grow' microorganisms. So just like in a compost pile, we provide water, oxygen and food for the microbes and they reproduce. But, in the oxygenated nutrient rich environment of the brewer, they multiply at rates we've never been able to obtain before. For our purposes, we are trying to brew a tea that is balanced bacteria to fungi.

One thing to keep in mind here, the brewer can only replicate what's in the compost. We must start with high quality, biologically active compost. If no beneficial organisms are present in the compost, than the brewer can't create them.

What are the benefits?
Only when all the soil food web players (bacteria, fungi, protozoa and nematodes) are present in the right balance do plants achieve their full potential. That is, stress free, pest resistant and productive plants. Do all of these players exist naturally in our soils today? No, not in high enough numbers to do much good. But now with compost tea we can get them back in the soil, or on the leaf surface quickly and conveniently.

Bacteria, fungi, protozoa and nematodes are responsible for making nutrients available to plants. As they feed, reproduce and die they release these nutrients to their host plants.

As each of these groups begins to increase it's own biomass, organic matter increases, soil aggregates begin to form, drainage improves and other beneficial species, like earthworms, begin to appear further improving the soil health.

As beneficial species of microorganisms increase they displace pathogenic species. Less food and less room for pathogenic species to grow means fewer problems with Phytophthora or verticillium in the soil. On the leaf surface, there is less room for powdery mildew and black spot if beneficial species occupy at least 70%. On turf, beneficial fungi can out-compete lawn diseases like pythium, fusarium and rhizoctonia.

Because conditions vary from garden to garden, results will also vary. Pesticide and fertilizer residues in soil will adversely effect just applied compost tea. But these incredibly high numbers of organisms will rebound quickly, and begin to do their job. Use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers after compost tea has been applied will also knock down beneficial populations. They also will recover.
The end result of all this bio-diversity is a reduction in the amount of fertilizer we use. A reduction in, even the elimination of, fungicide use. Suppression of certain insect species is even being obtained by spraying with a compost tea that contains beneficial nematodes, beneficial bacteria or beneficial fungi. Talk about a positive impact on the environment. Is this the direction we want to head in? You bet it is. Sounds like a tea-rrific way to garden.

Compost Tea Basics

Compost tea is an aerobically brewed (not thermally brewed) liquid concentrate of soluble nutrients, organic compounds and elevated levels of microorganisms.

Recipe for tea is basically:

1. De-chlorinated water
2. High quality biologically active and diverse compost
3. A food source for the microorganisms to feed on and reproduce

• Brew time 20-24 hours.
• Bacteria and fungi grow in a brewer at exponential rates because the water contains high levels of oxygen (it's aerated) and a food source (kelp, molasses, humates or hydrolyzed fish) has been provided.
• Some species of bacteria reproduce every twenty minutes- start with 10,000 of a species at brew time, 24 hours later you may have tens of millions of this one species.
• Compost Tea replicates only those organisms present in the compost at brewing time. It cannot create beneficial fungi if none are present in the compost.
• Compost Tea has a rather short shelf life after brewing is complete (4-6 hours) because without aeration the bacteria begin to use up available oxygen and the tea goes anaerobic. Shelf life can be extended with additional aeration. Without aeration most beneficial bacteria quickly die and harmful anaerobes can begin to grow.
• Compost Tea can be applied to foliage or as a soil drench. It can be used on all ornamentals, vegetables, herbs, small fruits, turf, annuals and perennials.* Different teas can be brewed for different plant groups or plant needs. Most vegetables and annuals require a bacterial dominant tea, turf would require an equal ratio tea, while most woody ornamentals would need a fungal dominant brew.
• The different tea brews are determined by the makeup of the compost and the food source added to the water at brew time.
• Bacteria, fungi, nematodes and protozoa are responsible for nutrient cycling in the soil. They are the ones releasing nutrients to plants. At high enough populations, less fertilizer is needed. It could even be eliminated under ideal conditions.
• Properly brewed tea can be applied to foliage to suppress disease. Powdery mildew, black spot and rust can all be controlled or eliminated by regular foliar applications of Compost Tea. There is less room left on the leaf surface for disease organisms when at least 70% of the leaf surface is occupied by beneficial bacteria and fungi. This is known as the Foliar Food Web (like the Soil Food Web).
• Organisms that cause turf diseases can be suppressed by regular applications of Compost Tea. Disease causing fungi cannot compete with high populations of beneficial organisms.
• Compost Tea is applied at 5 gallons to an acre. Almost impossible to apply too much, too often. As long as food sources are available in the soil, a single application of tea gives enormous benefit for months or years to come. Establishing a true sustainable soil system.
• Vermicompost (worm compost) seems to be the best source of consistent biologically active compost to begin a brew.

For further information on the soil food web and attributes of Compost tea go to:

Soil Foodweb, Inc.
World Humus Interest Group
The International Compost Tea Council