Vermicomposted dairy manure was shown to suppress Pythium damping off in cucumber. The compost used in the study, Worm Power, is an OMRI-listed product commercially available and approved for use on organic farms. Both solid compost and liquid compost extract ("compost tea") suppressed Pythium damping off in cucumber seedlings. Compost tea is great for hydroponic greenhouses, as it can be pumped directly into the irrigation system. To make compost tea, the researchers mixed vermicompost with water at a 1:60 ratio in a 100 gallon plastic tub. Water was circulated briefly twice a day with a sump pump over the extraction period, but was never actively aerated. Finished extract was strained through 4 layers of cheesecloth and stored at room temperature in 5 gallon buckets with vented lids. This method is significantly cheaper than buying a compost tea aerator.
