Compost is nothing new to Lane County residents, many of whom routinely separate their yard trimmings for curbside collection or to compost in their own backyard. They are aware of the many benefits of compost, and how best to incorporate it into their gardens and landscapes. Something that is fairly new on the scene for Lane County residents is compost tea—essentially a liquid version of compost with comparable benefits. A unique feature of compost tea is that it can be easily and economically applied over large areas with watering cans, backpack sprayers or existing irrigation systems. Homeowners, organic farmers, orchardists, landscapers and others are all finding benefits by using compost tea regularly during peak growing periods applied to the soil, the foliage, or both. Compost tea contains a rich mixture of beneficial microorganisms, micronutrients, and other organic compounds that work together to revitalize the soil’s natural biological processes. A healthy functioning soil ecosystem requires less synthetic input to resist pests and diseases. A Eugene company is helping to spread the word and advance the use of compost tea. Growing Solutions, Inc. at 160 Madison St. has been manufacturing and distributing compost tea systems and related products for sustainable agriculture since 1997. They currently offer aerated compost tea systems that produce 25, 100 and 500 gallons of respectively, and have placed these systems all over the world. There are now 5 locations in Eugene and Springfield to buy fresh compost tea made with Growing Solutions, Inc. tea systems. Prices and days of tea availability vary, so check with the location first: Down to Earth – Eugene (Downtown) Lane Forest Products – Eugene Little Red Farm Nursery – Springfield Rexius – Eugene For more information, contact Growing Solutions at 343-8727 or visit their Web site at www.growingsolutions.com— Cindy Salter
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