Quantum to ferment tea brewing

  • April 7, 2023 at 8:56 pm #265
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    Karen Brindle [ PM ]
    Adding Quantum to ferment tea brewing? new
    April 28, 2020 05:43AM Registered: 9 years ago
    Posts: 103
    Would there be any benefit to this? As I was starting my comfrey ferment this week, I got to wondering if the non-photosynthetic microbes would like to be part of the mix?

    Vista Ridge Orchard
    Zone 8a in Washington
    235 Cider and heritage apple trees, 72 varieties,
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    Michael Phillips [ PM ]
    Re: Adding Quantum to ferment tea brewing? new
    April 28, 2020 05:08PM Moderator
    Registered: 10 years ago
    Posts: 621
    The quick answer is no. The whole reason for photosynthetic bacteria (and other equally important players in Quantum) being treated differently lies in the details. Read that earlier thread on Quantum Thinking and/or the paper posted in the Library again. EM mother cultures include Rhodopseudomonas palustris but it’s becoming more evident you don’t see much if any of the purple guys in the field. This is the argument for spending additional money on Quantum.

    One of my commercial clients this spring “activated” a gallon of Quantum according to the EM procedure. He monitored pH and it indeed dropped down to 3.5. This tells us that Bacillus spp and some of the others that make up the organism consortium in Quantum responded to a molasses feed. What we don’t know is what became of the purple guys. Accordingly, this grower used that activation experiment to charge biochar instead . . . and is back on track adding “pure” Quantum to the holistic core recipe for foliar application.

    A little lingo consideration to finish. Microbe activation does not involve fermentation but rather feeding to increase populations. We do ferment plant extracts in order to draw nutrients into solution. I sometimes refer to these as calcium and silica teas, and this in turn gets confused with aerated compost tea, which in turn confuses us all. And then there’s brewing which is done to make beer but not a term a respectable cidermaker would use. Keeping the purpose in mind of what’s intended will help keep these distinctions straight.

    Lost Nation Orchard
    Zone 4b in New Hampshire

    Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/28/2020 05:39PM by Michael Phillips.
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    Karen Brindle [ PM ]
    Re: Adding Quantum to ferment tea brewing? new
    April 28, 2020 11:06PM Registered: 9 years ago
    Posts: 103
    Thanks Michael for the response and correcting my lingo, I’m still really pumped about the addition of Quantum to the foliar spray, thanks for doing the research on it and sharing!

    Vista Ridge Orchard
    Zone 8a in Washington
    235 Cider and heritage apple trees, 72 varieties,
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    Linda Hoffman [ PM ]
    Re: Adding Quantum to ferment tea brewing? new
    April 30, 2020 07:54PM Registered: 10 years ago
    Posts: 9
    Hi Michael,
    I seemed to have missed the arrival of ‘Quantum’ on the apple scene. It seems like a great additive to the spray tank especially at a reduced rate to cut or on a part of the orchard. Are you continuing to do research? Are there any downsides or restrictions for tank mixing with nutritional sprays? What about with a bio-fungicide like Serenade or Regalia– or does that become an oxymoron? I typically do one pass in our orchard and it feels like with Marssonina I will be applying more of these fungicdes longer and later than I have ever sprayed. Anyone else adding it to their sprays? What a cold, long spring for us in MA. Snow on the apricot/peaches. Pears open now, but the apple blossoms are still a long ways away.
    Linda
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    Michael Phillips [ PM ]
    Re: Adding Quantum to ferment tea brewing? new
    May 01, 2020 06:06PM Moderator
    Registered: 10 years ago
    Posts: 621
    The 2019 season marked my first trials with Quantum microbes, Linda. My goal then was twofold: See that this additional product cost was warranted and to show how recommended rates could be lowered in a holistic (nutritional) context. Results in both respects were a go, as reported earlier. If anything, I’m more excited now as I see good return bloom on trees that gave a good crop last year. Such is the marvel of enhanced photosynthesis. This 2020 season I will be spraying the entire orchard at 2 gallons total per acre for the entire season, at the varying “bud stage rates” as specified in that Quantum paper in the Library. Meanwhile,there are several of my consulting clients along with Karen out in Washington state who will also be trialing Quantum in 2020 as well.

    Tank mixing helpful organisms with Serenade or any organic mineral fungicides is not a good idea. Regalia is fine as that works more along the lines of an immune stimulant. Divergent strategies often need to be applied separately.

    Lost Nation Orchard
    Zone 4b in New Hampshire

    Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/02/2020 07:59PM by Michael Phillips.

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