[Archive Posts]

Shane Patrick
Kombucha as microbe source
February 04, 2022 03:41PM Registered: 2 years ago
Posts: 18
I used the HON search bar and “kombucha” came up negative. several sources on the intrawebs tout it as a foliar spray. the University of Hawaii has done some work with lactic acid bacteria, often found in SCOBY’s (simbiotic culure of bacterias and yeasts) : [www.ctahr.hawaii.edu]

Kombucha is relatively cheap and easy to do on one’s own and one quickly floods the local market of friends who want a free “mother’ to start brewing their own. I wonder about tossing a mother in with the backstrap molasses concoction. Gazillions of organisms, ph between 2.5 and 3.5, cheap, safe to drink. Any thoughts on putting some in the early season sprays?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/2022 04:08PM by Michael Phillips.
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Michael Phillips
Re: Kombucha as microbe source
February 04, 2022 04:22PM Moderator
Registered: 10 years ago
Posts: 621
That kombucha scoby would be up the same alley as using the lees from cidermaking. What was dubbed effective cider microbes (ECM) a couple years back at one of our Berkshire Meetings. I’ve been activating lees ever since, seems to work fine as far as expected pH drop goes, but of course don’t know the full range of players in such a homebrew. Lactobacilli are an amazing force and certainly leading the charge. ECM would be equivalent to EM (purchased mother) as far as rates go. You’ll find the introductory write-up to ECM in the Spring 2020 edition of Community Orchardist.

Lost Nation Orchard
Zone 4b in New Hampshire

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/2022 04:55PM by Michael Phillips.
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Sam Lindenmuth
Re: Kombucha as microbe source
February 04, 2022 11:39PM Registered: 3 years ago
Posts: 7
I’ve wondered the same thing for some time now. I can’t see there being a reason not to do so. This season I plan to brew several batches from comfrey, nettle, etc. Not quite sure if I’ll have any science to prove or dis-prove me but I definitely want to give it a shot. After all if the trees look good and have fruit hanging on them it clearly didn’t hurt them.
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