Compost tea vs. yard waste compost

[starry night]

OK folks. I have been waiting for a few days for an answer to this question from the ICT website and have not received one. So I will offer it here.
Does compost tea replace use of solid compost such as yard waste compost?

[JDUtah]

my vote is nope

[tadhussey]

This coming from a tea manufacturer, and I'd still have to say "No." Compost tea allows for increased portability, the ability to get a lot of microbes out of a relatively small amount of compost, less labor costs, and finally also allows for application directly to the leaf surface of the plant (no point in doing this with ICT, extraction, or other inactive forms of biology).

Compost offers a habitat for the little guys, increases your organic matter, and adds nutrients/minerals.

Compost tea will work much faster, but compost will provide long term benefits.

[starry night]

That's two for solid compost. The polls are still open.

[Tim Wilson]

[QUOTE][Does compost tea replace use of solid compost such as yard waste compost? /QUOTE]

If you have a truckload; No
If you have a bucketful; Yes

These are realistic comparisons.

[phasthound]

Compost rules! There is nothing that can replace good compost. However, it may not be practical for every instance including many business models. Compost used in conjunction with teas are a great way to go.

[Smallaxe]

CT would be too many microbes for the habitat in which they can ALL survive long term. They eat what they can, then their dead bodies serve as a good fertilizer.

I agree with Barry in that both would provide short term and long term benefits.

Also agree with Tim. CT would be better than too little compost, or none at all.

[Kiril]

If your purpose is an easy soil microbial inoculation, then tea ... otherwise compost.
There is no replacement for soil organic matter, and compost is the best source of that for landscapes.

[starry night]

For me getting started it boils down to this: I can afford to wheelbarrow and cast compost on lawns up to about 10,000 sq ft. Larger than that I don't think I can do economically without a topdresser which don't have. Therefore, spraying compost tea would be quicker. Comments?

[ICT Bill]

OK folks. I have been waiting for a few days for an answer to this question from the ICT website and have not received one. So I will offer it here.
Does compost tea replace use of solid compost such as yard waste compost?

this is also coming from a tea manufacturer and I say NO also

You need the organic matter to feed the herd

[ICT Bill]

For me getting started it boils down to this: I can afford to wheelbarrow and cast compost on lawns up to about 10,000 sq ft. Larger than that I don't think I can do economically without a topdresser which don't have. Therefore, spraying compost tea would be quicker. Comments?

That is exactly the application for compost teas
You should however put top dressing in your program spring and fall at least for the first 2 years

But soils are different in different areas what is the SOM in your area?

[starry night]

Thanks everybody for the information. And thanks Bill for the e-mail reply
to my questions.

[treegal1]

This coming from a tea manufacturer, and I'd still have to say "No." Compost tea allows for increased portability, the ability to get a lot of microbes out of a relatively small amount of compost, less labor costs, and finally also allows for application directly to the leaf surface of the plant (no point in doing this with ICT, extraction, or other inactive forms of biology).

Compost offers a habitat for the little guys, increases your organic matter, and adds nutrients/minerals.

Compost tea will work much faster, but compost will provide long term benefits.
thats my take as well, compost is king