Environmental & sustainability links

SoilBioLab Compost Tea Trial Report: Assessing the effect of brewing time and added microbial foods on the quality of aerated compost tea. Andrea Araujo, Jennifer Ings and Simon Parfey.

Compost tea (CT) is a water based microbiological inoculant containing high levels of bacteria and fungi produced from compost. This is applied to crops improve soil and plant health and increase plant growth. This investigation aimed to identify the optimum conditions to produce a CT containing the highest levels of active microbial biomass. By varying the components of the CT mix and length of time that it was brewed, an ideal mix of compost, molasses and humic acid with a brew time of 24 hours was identified as providing the highest overall active and total microbial biomass.

Projects in which the RHS Plant Soil Interaction team is involved.

Soil is a fundamental and essentially non-renewable natural resource, providing the essential link between the components that make up our environment. Soils vary hugely from region to region and even from field to field. They all perform a number of valuable functions or ecosystem services for society including:

• nutrient cycling
• water regulation
• carbon storage
• support for biodiversity and wildlife
• providing a platform for food and fibre production and infrastructure

RSPB guide for developers and local authorities on making sustainable drainage systems that benefit local wildlife

Cambridge Council’s sustainable drainage information and ‘Design and Adoption Guide’

Dr Alan Knight