What type of compost tea for bag worms?

[Barefoot James]

I have client who has evergreens (blue spruce) with brown spots on them and the evergreen next to the glassed in porch has bag worms.

Will a balanced tea work on this?

[ICT Bill]

Come on James
Pick 'em off
I hope you're one tall dude

[phasthound]

I have client who has evergreens (blue spruce) with brown spots on them and the evergreen next to the glassed in porch has bag worms.

Will a balanced tea work on this?

NO!!!
Compost tea is not a killer. The bags contain eggs, compost tea will have NO effect on them. Compost tea is not a panacea. Stop thinking this way.

If you want to control insect infestations you must understand the life cycle of the insect and when it is most vulnerable. In the case of bagworms, you can effectively control them by picking the bags (as Bill suggested) and monitoring them as the growing season progresses. Look for tiny new bags and treat with Bt. Very effective when this small. In NJ/PA are the timing is mid June. If you miss this window, you will have to use harsher chemical control. Check with your local extension office for timing.

[Tim Wilson]

I agree James that CT does not help with insect control. If you have been using it in an area long enough though, it does help promote a sustainable ecosystem in which the bad insects are kept somewhat in check by other bugs. This is expecially true of two spotted spider mites and thrips. But you can have outbreaks even then.

BT products are great. I use them for mosquito control.

Tim

[Barefoot James]

Obviously the brown spot on the blue spruce is some sort of fungus what type of CT could help this?

[Tim Wilson]

I have only worked experimentally with controlling powdery mildew (PM), however there may be some relation. I found I had greater control when I used pyrophyllite clay powder in the recipe along with rock phosphate. When I sprayed leaves with outbreaks of PM I observed control and remission 85% of the time. I am still researching both the active microbe(s) and the reason for the 85%. I have observed a high density of a very well organized fast moving bacteria when using pyrophyllite and have a gut feeling that it is this bacteria which consumes PM. Previous to using CT we had regular PM outbreaks in our greenhouse. With regular use of CT there are virtually no outbreaks. There is a contact for inexpensive pyrophyllite in your manual James.

Salutations,
Tim

[ICT Bill]

Manual? you have your own manual Tim?
come on fess up, I wanna see it

[tadhussey]

Manual? you have your own manual Tim?
come on fess up, I wanna see it

Are you kidding? I would have only been shocked if he didn't have a manual!

As for compost tea, I have to agree that it's not a magic bullet by any means, just the least understood part of an effective organic program.

[Tim Wilson]

Manual? you have your own manual Tim?
come on fess up, I wanna see it

It's just a little printout I send out with my brewer. It's got some recipes and resources.

Tim

[Barefoot James]

935 pages, cross referenced and itemized is hardly a little printout - LOL. You have to get a brewer to be in the Microbulator 50 club guys!
Seriously he has some very useful info that comes with his brewer!
Tim is invaluable.

[ICT Bill]

Tim, its a line dance :clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping: :clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping: :clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping: