There are at least 3 methods that produce safe, biologically complete compost: Thermal (hot) composting, vermicomposting, and Johnson-Su (aged static pile) composting. Each method is kept aerobic (exposed to oxygen), which deters the growth of anaerobic pathogens. Thermal composting has the added benefit of heat to kill pests (weed seeds) and pathogens, and is therefore a great starting point for making compost to be used as a biological inoculum, such as compost teas and ext

It starts with a good biological compost -- your source of microbes. If you can, match the successional stage of your compost ( Table 1 ) to the successional stage of the plants being grown. Fill a watering can or 5gal bucket with water. Use ambient temperature, non-chlorinated water if possible. Add compost - Place desired amount of compost into the tea bag based on the area to be treated ( Table 2 ). 1L compost treats ~700sq m, 6L treats 1 acre! Extract microbes - Massage

using our 5gal tea kit It all starts with a good compost - your source of microbes the best and safest types of compost to use in compost tea are: thermal aerobic compost, vermicompost, or aged Johnson-Su compost. Avoid uncomposted manure or compost made with only manure, as these composts may contain human pathogens and will only add bacteria to your soil. make sure your compost has been maintained at ~40% moisture, stored in a breathable container, aged less than 1.5yrs for

Healthy soil depends on a thriving community of microorganisms that support plant growth and ecosystem balance. Dr. Elaine Ingham, a leading soil microbiologist, has developed detailed guidelines for the ranges of microbial and plant successional stages that indicate soil health. These recommendations also tie directly into the biological requirements for BioComplete™ Compost, a product designed to restore and maintain soil vitality. This post explores Dr. Ingham’s recommende

At a Glance: Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria in Compost Extracts DNA sequencing shows that nitrogen-associated rhizobacteria (Rhizobiales)  occur at similar relative abundance (~5%) across well-made compost extracts , regardless of compost type. Compost DNA percent composition is not a measure of biomass  and should be interpreted alongside microscopy or CFU data. Microbial diversity matters  more than the presence of any single organism. Bacterial biomass was highest in the Early-S

Our website has been updated to include online purchases/scheduling  for: product orders, consulting/microbial report scheduling, and event/workshop booking Check out the Products , Services , and Events  pages for details.  ​ Pre-order compost tea brew kits now!  Kits come as 4 gal (treats half an acre) to 25 gal (treats 2.5 acres) options. ​​ Upcoming Workshops ​ May 16 (new moon) - Microscopy Safari June 13 - Make Compost  with me  Sept 26  (harvest moon) - Make Tea  with

By Colleen Dempster, 2026   Compost Microbiology Matters Plant communities undergo succession — predictable changes in plant species over time as soils develop. Early-successional plants thrive in disturbed conditions. As soils stabilize, longer-lived and more diverse plant communities establish. Below ground, the soil microbial community is also changing. Disturbed soils are typically dominated by fast-reproducing bacteria. As disturbance decreases, fungal networks develop,

Professional Services & Revenue-Generating Work Throughout 2025, Rewild Soils provided independent, paid professional services across multiple domains, including: Soil microbial analysis and interpretation Compost and biologically active amendments (including compost tea and compost extract) Large and small-scale Compost tea and extract applications Consulting and advisory services Professional presentations and workshops Work engaged farms, land stewards, organizations, and

It's been a while since I posted a blog on this website - truthfully, it's been mostly a formatting headache for me to modify my website...

takes a deep breath in and out. It has been a few months since I made a blog post or showed any "in action" posts on Instagram, because...