Step 3: Brewing for Farmers

The starter is multiplied in water with nutrients and lots of air to grow the bio-booster.

Aerated growing – Brewing 

Good natural soil biology needs oxygen, so aeration of the water is necessary to get the aerobic conditions for the correct biology. An aerobic bio-booster smells ‘good’, the sweet smell of good moist soil. Anaerobic biology does not need oxygen and smells like foul, like rotten eggs or worse, and is often harmful. Check by smelling and using a microscope. Dump anaerobic brews as all biology will be killed. Check the conditions and try again.

Quantities: 

Bio-booster is applied at 100L/ha plus extra water for practical distribution. Our trials used a 1,000-litre pod for a 1,000-litre GYO Soil Bio-Booster, enough for 10 ha. For smaller brews, adjust accordingly.

Equipment: Photo1 – Overview  Photo 2 – Air spreader pipes 1,000-litre bio-booster requires:

Tank 1,000 L pod.

Pipes 40 mm PVC pipe, two lengths (4m).

Fittings PVC 40 mm: T pieces (2), 90o elbows (5), and end caps (3) to suit the above design.

Air pump with a large enough capacity to pump at least 1L air/1 L water /minute,

 Control tap 40mm PVC between the pump and aerator.

Sieve to remove large particles and prevent blockages. We recommend using a microscope to check for the presence of fungi and other biological organisms.

Aeration: 

Enough air needs to be pumped to give 2 – 8 cm boil on the water surface – a very jumpy surface. The air spreader pipes need holes facing downwards and sideways so as to give agitation across the bottom and thus minimise anaerobic dead spots.

Feeding the Biology

Multiplying biology requires food. The ingredients added during brewing favour fungal growth, which is part of the biology that builds soil structure and captures long-term carbon. Fungi need other biota as food to survive and grow.

Growing

Mix into 1,000 L non-chlorinated water or rainwater:

40 litre starter

2 L Fish emulsion

4 L Seaweed Liquid 

2 L Liquid Sea Minerals

Aerate for 24 hours in warm to hot conditions and 48 hours on cool to cold conditions. Assess development under a microscope. Apply within 3 – 4 hours after stopping aeration; biology starts dying without oxygen.

Tips:

If a starter bag is used to keep the brew free from floating solids, ensure air is supplied directly into the bag. Otherwise, this may create anaerobic conditions. A free-floating starter dispersed throughout the brew is simpler and produces just as good a brew. Clean the tank and pipes after each brew. Experience has taught that cleaning the tank and equipment while wet is easier than later. Otherwise, the biology keeps working and “glues” itself to the equipment. Don’t overfill the tank – allow 10 cm for the jumping brew. The secret to success is maintaining a very jumpy brew at all times. See the Photo Gallery for more photos of brewing and application. See Step 4 – Application to large areas

Note: As a precaution, we suggest brewing in an open space and/or using a face mask when inspecting during aeration. Not all soil fungi are human-friendly in high concentrations.