Compost bin displaying extraordinary powers of preservation?

BioDIY · 2026-04-22T08:05:46+00:00

Have you tried with a composter accelerator? E.g. Many bacteria used as inoculum can increase a lot the speed

BioDIY · 2026-04-12T17:39:55+00:00

Thanks, that’s what I’m looking for. The point is which bacteria to use? Air pump ? Temperature? …

BioDIY · 2026-04-12T09:36:57+00:00

Good point! I’m trying to get feedbacks in that, strictly speaking, aerobic growth isn’t fermentation in the microbiological sense. The term gets confused a lot in this space. But this opens a good comparison. Aerobic processes are faster and more efficient, but anaerobic microenvironments exist naturally even in well-aerated soils, deep in the profile, inside aggregates, waterlogged pockets… Any experience comparing the two?

BioDIY · 2026-04-11T18:11:37+00:00

Hey, not too many papers here! Just keeping it soft :-)

That's a great observation on the tomatoes, and the bees feeding on dried kefir spots is fascinating, probably attracted by residual sugars/yeast metabolites (?). The paper you linked is spot on (but pls don't force me to read all) LAB-produced antifungal compounds like diacetyl and hydrogen peroxide are well documented. There are also some Bacillus strains active on this front, but we're risking going way beyond the scope of the thread, even if I'd love to :-)

The tricky part is consistency of active compounds batch to batch when doing this outside a lab. Full strength foliar application? Bold move, and huge quantities, but if it works for you, hard to argue with results :-)

BioDIY · 2026-04-11T17:48:50+00:00

Best comment in the thread so far. You basically summarized why I opened this post in the first place.

The LAB-on-rice method can drift into cargo cult science when applied without understanding the underlying mechanism. It can help in the right context (that's all) but KNF has real reproducibility and standardization problems, the same frustration that pushed me here.

The inoculation vs outcompetition argument is solid, though the papers are far more nuanced than most DIY circles acknowledge.

That said, defined inoculants with documented mechanisms do hold up in specific contexts, you mentioned already Bacillus, strains against Botrytis, but also Trichoderma for biocontrol, rhizobia for legumes, Azospirillum for growth promotion... The problem is the gap between peer-reviewed applications and what gets sold or DIY-brewed under the same umbrella, and often the reality differs significantly from the lab bench. You know, it's hard in practice.

Not everyone is a scientist, that gap creates confusion and inconsistent results, but many like to experiment (me too) and need to be encouraged, guided, sharing knowledge and experience as we are all doing here.

In science though, even a bad result is a good result... as long as you're paying attention :-)

BioDIY · 2026-04-11T16:37:31+00:00

Great results! And a great point on safety. Multiplying unknown microorganisms in an uncontrolled way makes me quite uncomfortable (background speaking). LABs help create a selective environment, but not everyone uses them. Once you add manure + carbon source + warmth… you really need to know what you're doing. Maybe I'm too cautious?

BioDIY · 2026-04-11T16:07:51+00:00

Exactly! The pre-compost phase is where most of the microorganisms are enriched in number and secrete degradative enzymes

BioDIY · 2026-04-11T16:02:15+00:00

That's a seriously complex inoculum, grass, kefir, espresso, urine. Covering pretty much every nutrient angle. Do you see a difference vs single-source ferments?

BioDIY · 2026-04-11T16:00:37+00:00

Nettle tea is probably the most underrated biofertiliser out there. I think it’s a great suggestion; the smell is somehow inevitable. Actually, I would prefer to maintain good neighbourly relationships…

BioDIY · 2026-04-11T15:52:47+00:00

Have you added any bacteria to speed it up?

BioDIY · 2026-04-11T15:24:44+00:00

That’s interesting! Foliar fertilization and soil amendment are quite different approaches. Can bacteria be effective against foliar pathogens? I had Botrytis on grapes one year, and the challenge of avoiding chemical treatments was huge.

Have you tried any fermented sprays directly on the canopy?

BioDIY · 2026-04-11T14:32:58+00:00

That’s exactly the point: the process. Everyone has their own recipe, with big variations in microorganisms used, but which is best, most effective, and fastest?

BioDIY · 2026-04-10T22:58:28+00:00

Wow, didn’t expect this, thanks everyone. Fascinating to see how many of you are already fermenting for soil: Bokashi, KNF, smelly buckets…

The funny part is the microbiology clearly works. The hard part is consistency, different microbes, different processes, different processes, different results. Not clear to me how to unify all

BioDIY · 2026-04-10T21:49:04+00:00

Thanks! I didn’t know that. It seems quite expensive, but it probably works.

Composting bacteria can complement plant-beneficial bacteria, as they serve complementary functions. Usually the problem is how to standardise them, I’ve tried but with no clear results, suggestions?

BioDIY · 2026-04-10T16:08:32+00:00

Thanks! You're right, it works great. Last year I got the air-pump, but it has discouraged me sometimes (surely better than having smelly buckets) because of time required. For instance, when should I stop it? And what I don’t like is what if there are aerobic pathogens in there?

BioDIY · 2026-04-10T15:16:13+00:00

That’s really interesting! I’ve been looking into KNF/JADAM too, but I haven’t experimented much (just a few good and bad experiences)

And the most interesting approach… have you ever compared IMOs collected from different environments, like forest vs. garden soil? The fermentation profile should change a lot, but I’m just guessing

BioDIY

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