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Compost Extracts Part 2
With Memorial Day this weekend, grateful for all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and to the families left behind.
Last week, I shared some information on compost extracts. Curt Arens, editor of Nebraska Farmer magazine, responded sharing an article he wrote of a group in northeast NE working with compost extracts: https://www.farmprogress.com/soil-health/1113f1-1400-slideshow.
The “why” behind using compost extracts is to build a diversity of locally grown biology. The goal is to reduce synthetic nitrogen and other nutrients on their farms by allowing the biology to process the currently unavailable nutrients in the soils. The hope is to also increase microbial activity to naturally ward off insect and pathogen pests to reduce chemicals in the system.
The extraction process of removing the microbes from the compost has been done a number of ways. One farmer used 5 gallon buckets of compost, paint screens, water in a stock tank and an air hose to agitate. I’ve seen other farmers agitate and screen 5 gallon buckets of compost various ways into cleaned out plastic totes or cone bottom tanks. Extraction equipment can also be purchased. It does take time and is often made the morning or night before of planting and/or foliar application.
A tool I use more often is my microscope. Until a few years ago, I never thought to look at soil under my microscope; it takes practice and time. It’s opened my eyes to a whole new world of understanding and questions. With the compost extracts, I’ve seen great diversity: bacteria are common, but also fungal spores, amoebas (protists), and nematodes. I’ve learned by dunking seeds and looking at how chemical seed treatments interact and don’t interact with biology. I’ve looked at various products from a jug. I’ve dunked roots of young seedlings. It’s incredible how some biological products provide much life to the roots with microbial diversity while also viewing how chemical seed treatments did their job and the minimal associations with microbes formed. It’s a tool that I think more farmers would find helpful if time was scheduled to observe and learn.
The on-farm research studies with compost extracts were complicated studies including various nitrogen rates. So, I will share highlights and you can view the full reports beginning on page 162 of the 2024 on-farm research book.
Seward Study 1 (pg 171): In this 3-year study, the grower had two years of corn and one year of soybeans with a Check treatment, compost extract treatments, Pivot Bio (in the corn years) on the same strips. In 2022, there were no yield differences between the Check and the two compost extract + 106 lb N/ac nitrogen rates. In 2023, there were no yield differences for any of the treatments in spite higher and lower N rates. In 2024, there was no yield difference between the Check and Johnson Su compost extract areas. Encouraging is no lower yield with the reduced N and compost extracts.
York Study 2 (pg 167): In this 2-year study, there were no yield differences between any treatments in 2023 in spite of a 20% reduced N rate. The grower questioned if he was going low enough with N, and in 2024, did a nitrogen ramp study with compost extract. There were no differences between the 190 lb N/ac full N rate, 120 lb N/ac reduced N rate, and 120 lb N/ac + compost extract. Analyzing just the 120 lb N/ac rate vs. 120 lb N/ac + compost extract resulted in the a significant yield advantage to the compost extract, which was encouraging to the grower.
Lancaster Study 3 (163): In this non-irrigated study, nitrogen was the primary limiting factor amongst the treatments. The conclusion was biology needs moisture in the midst of drought.
Grateful for all who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom!
Compost Extracts Part 1
During the winter months, farmers often called asking if we had research on X biological product. I heard a few of them deem 2025 as “the year of the biologicals” with how often different products would show up in ads and be discussed in meetings. It seems like the majority of companies are adding some type of biological or biostimulant to their product line. Why? I think mostly because there may come a day when we have to rely less on chemicals for ag production. We also have an increasing number of growers who are trying to reduce the amount of chemicals and synthetic fertilizer they use. Maybe there’s something to “it feels right or good” as well.
While we don’t have research on the majority of the products on the market, we are gaining more on-farm research results in homemade biologicals called “compost extracts”. If you search for this term, you will find the terms “compost extracts” and “compost teas” which are often mentioned for gardening settings. In recent years, some farmers seeking a regenerative ag path are trying this on a commercial scale for ag as well. I’ve been following Jay Young for years (YoungRedAngus on YouTube) if you want to learn more about what he’s doing.
Compost is defined by Merrium-Webster as: “a mixture that consists largely of decayed organic matter and is used for fertilizing and conditioning land”. There’s many different methods of making compost and various materials can be used. Gardeners may use materials like vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, egg shells, leaves and grass clippings. Farmers may use materials like manure, straw and hay, deceased animals, leaves, and wood chips. For ag, you may hear terms such as turned compost, windrow compost, Johnson-Su compost…there’s a number of methods that farmers are using to make compost on their farms.
Compost is known to improve soil by adding organic material, nutrients and micronutrients, soil microbes and earthworms. Hundreds to a thousand pounds of compost would be added to ag ground to improve it. Most farmers don’t have that amount nor access to that amount of material.
Thus, the interest in “compost extracts” and “compost teas” in which a small amount of compost (2 lb/ac) is used. The compost is added to water in a tank with a way to agitate it to allow the nutrients and microbes to move into the muddy water solution. For compost extracts, the solution is agitated for 20 minutes to 2 hours (depending on the farmer’s system), filtered, then the liquid is pumped to a tank for the farmer to apply to the field.
We’ve had 7 on-farm research studies in this part of the state using compost extracts as seed treatments, applied in furrow or via foliar application thus far. We kept these studies (other than seed treatment) on the same strips over time. The growers have appreciated “growing their own biological diversity” with costs ranging from $1-6/ac, depending on what else is added. Their desire is to use the extracts to lower nitrogen and other fertilizer use in addition to reducing chemical apps on their farms.
I only have room to share on the compost extract seed treatment for this column. The grower has used compost extracts for years and chose to do a seed treatment study in 2024. The corn had a commercial ShieldCoat seed treatment. He compared that to the ShieldCoat + compost extract seed treatment. This field was impacted by greensnap in July and also Fusarium crown rot. The compost extract seed treatment (215 bu/ac) statistically out-yielded the Check (206 bu/ac). The cost of the compost extract was estimated at $1/ac. There will be another compost extract seed treatment study in 2025. To determine the quality of his compost, the grower sent it in for DNA analysis from Biome Makers and it was microscopically analyzed by Living Soil Compost Lab LLC. This study can be viewed in more detail on page 167 of the 2024 On-Farm Research Results Book.
JenResources 