Skimmate for organic garden fertilizer?

[Amaya Reef]

I do a lot of organic gardening and when I feed I make a compost tea(earthworm castings,Bat guano) few other micro nutrients. So I was wondering if anyone has ever fed their garden skimmate? Or maybe add to aerated compost tea mix?

 

[chicagoreefer20]

Oh! What a potentially great idea. Anyone? I'd imagine the skimmate to be too salty.

 

[Amaya Reef]

But it would be diluted and I could check salinity levels

 

[Sky_Shark]

Interesting. Let us know what you find with the salinity levels.

 

[pscott99]

I do a lot of organic gardening and when I feed I make a compost tea(earthworm castings,Bat guano) few other micro nutrients. So I was wondering if anyone has ever fed their garden skimmate? Or maybe add to aerated compost tea mix?

yes neat idea. I though bat guano was poisonous.

 

[Amaya Reef]

Bat guano seabird guano all different n-p-k ratio. I wouldn't drink it so not sure how it can be poisonous. But that's what nutrients mainly are. A lot of other trace elements. My organic vegetables taste 100x better than jewel I add all kinds of micro and trace nutes.

 

[xtlosx]

I take my spent GFO and throw it into my composter.... Would be interested to know what skimmate could be useful for, I got PLENTY!

 

[Amaya Reef]

I'm sure it would have to be composted for few weeks. Gonna have to try.

 

[Stork141]

I had a buddy who would mix his skimmate cup in 5g bucket of water to reduce the salinity content and pour it over his tomato garden. It worked extremely well. Sadly i have no pics but from what he said he was very pleased and happy with the results.

 

[xtlosx]

I had a buddy who would mix his skimmate cup in 5g bucket of water to reduce the salinity content and pour it over his tomato garden. It worked extremely well. Sadly i have no pics but from what he said he was very pleased and happy with the results.

That's interesting... I have an old bucket I might end up or just stick it into a milk jug with some RO mixed in.. Wouldn't be a bad idea to use it just directly on plants rather than putting it into a composter.

Sounds essentially like we're making our own Fish Emulsion! I'm a big gardener, and will be trying this around my kiwis this year. Thanks for the thought.

 

[skunkmere]

i always thought the salt would be a problem but diluting it sounds like it would work.

 

[ct_vol]

i always thought the salt would be a problem but diluting it sounds like it would work.

These are my thoughts as well. That being said, if you were to continually use diluted skimmate, the salt content in the ground would eventually build to toxic levels. Something else to consider.

 

[xtlosx]

These are my thoughts as well. That being said, if you were to continually use diluted skimmate, the salt content in the ground would eventually build to toxic levels. Something else to consider.

I'm not geologist or really scientific on this for that matter, but there isn't any natural occurring salt or any kind in the soil here? If there is, the concentration you're saying is less, and even though we're diluting it, eventually it will build up to be toxic?
Wonder if there's any way to remove the salt content?

 

[pscott99]

Has anyone tested the salt content of their skimate ? :bounce2:

 

[xtlosx]

Has anyone tested the salt content of their skimate ? :bounce2:

That was my next question....

 

[pscott99]

I suspect it is not much since it is really evaporated water but I am only guessing. I can't test mine from work :lolspin:

 

[DgenR8]

Has anyone tested the salt content of their skimate ? :bounce2:

I'm not putting that on my refractometer.

 

[ostrow]

Larry, you just put it on your PB and J, though, right?

 

[ct_vol]

I'm not geologist or really scientific on this for that matter, but there isn't any natural occurring salt or any kind in the soil here? If there is, the concentration you're saying is less, and even though we're diluting it, eventually it will build up to be toxic?
Wonder if there's any way to remove the salt content?

Plant life will not grow in highly saline environments, at least those we would be interested in growing in a garden. The salts collect upon the roots and will burn them. Think of the Great Salt Lake or Dead Sea. Most shorelines are barren as well, though some plants have adapted. I guess if you watered often enough to wash the salt away so that it never built up, it may work.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/notes/oldnotes/vg10.htm

 

[DgenR8]

Larry, you just put it on your PB and J, though, right?

Can't, it would soak through the bread and get on my hands :eek1: