Wet compost using yeast or lactic fermentation (was Sustainable Slug Beer)

Wet compost using yeast or lactic fermentation (was Sustainable Slug Beer)
This project has forked in several directions. I am currently fermenting dandylions (with a lactic fermentation) to produce gas bubbles to circulate water to plants. (This is called the biofueled pump)  When the fermentation is over, the fermented leaves and stems are then squished to try to get the fibers. The fibers will be used for "felt" fibre pots for plants.  (This may be in combination with hydrated lime to make felt fibre limestone pots).  The "acidic juice" will become compost tea to be circulated to plants to water them (Using the biofueled pump to provide the power.
Brian White May 2 2011
I failed so far to make a likeable slug beer from garden waste mixed with water.
But the yeast does seem to work to convert it through an alcoholic stage.
(Latest test was a 45 gallon barrel full of morning glory and seeding weeds).
Then it goes acid, and then a skin of mold forms over the mixture. A week or 2 of these staged anerobic conditions will hopefully kill off the morning glory and pickle the weed seeds in alcohol, then acid.
Below is the slug beer plan that has so far not worked. Anyway during the recent heat wave, the slugs have not even been interested in my good homebrew. (july 31 2009)
I make beer for the slugs in my garden but it is expensive. I think slugs are drawn to the hop smell and then they get drunk and fall in. Perhaps other flavourings will draw them too?
A few years ago I made plum wine for them (stronger than beer but they were not interested!).
It gave me such headaches that I thought it would appeal to the slugs but no)


Do slugs really care if the beer they drink is to top international taste standards? Lets try to make beer from weeds, vine cuttings, grass clippings, seedy weeds too.
Bread yeast is cheaper and widely available, lets use it instead of beer yeast.

Perhaps it can all be intigrated into the composting and mulching system for your garden.
I do not always get enough heat in my compost to kill weed seeds. Perhaps problem seedy weeds could be diverted to the slug beer process to kill them off?
Perhaps you could even intigrate it into your fertilizing system too. Yeast can convert nitrates into yeast protein.
Not quite organic gardening but a lot closer than just applying nitrate fertilizer directly to your plants.
I made my first batch from lawn mowings and tall grassy weeds
If your barrel of beer does go off, the next stage is weak acetic acid. If the alcoholic conditions did not get your weed seeds, perhaps the acid will!
I am too busy to give it enough attention.
Please try your own. Today, monday 20th July i checked real beer in saucers from last night and no slugs. (We are currently having a heatwave and dry spell)
Brian
 
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Step 1Start the yeast

Start the yeast
Bread yeast comes dried and you need to add it to warm sugary water to activate the yeast. After a couple of hours it will be foaming and froathy. I think a table spoon of yeast added to a half liter of water with a teaspoon of molasses and a table spoon of sugar already in will be a good starter.
A little flour is no harm either.
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15 comments
Apr 3, 2010. 12:10 PMciexs says:
 I love this idea. I never even thought of a nice alcohol and acid bath to kill off weed seeds... Let alone attracting and drowning pestilent bugs with the same brew. I hope you hit on a formula that works. I may try this if I get as many slugs this year as last.
Aug 18, 2010. 5:07 PMRonyon says:
Hey, whats the biggest thing that will that meat grinder will grind? I was thinking of buying one in order to "mulch" some of the twigs in my yard, and i was wondering if it would work.
Oct 31, 2010. 1:37 PMDIY-Guy says:
Hmm, some university reports on composting (sorry, no references) spoke of piling up leaves and such, then tilting a power mower above it and lowering the spinning blades onto the pile. Use a bagger mower for this!
Jun 11, 2010. 7:24 AMIvriniel says:
From what I've read, slugs are attracted to the scent of fermentation, so as long as your beer is good and yeasty, it should attract them.
Oct 31, 2010. 1:40 PMDIY-Guy says:
Just guessing here but could it be the grain or malt they are scenting and seeking? If so this would be a good use for old flour gone bad or full of moths or weevils. Does anyone know how to get moth eggs and weevils out of flour in case we want to use the flour for bread?
Jun 26, 2010. 12:25 PMjmatthew408 says:
im not sure what your pupose is here, however alternate idea for your "slug beer" distill it and use it as fuel for your lawn mower or something.
Jun 17, 2010. 5:52 PMbyoho says:
Beer traps work great, but I couldn't bring myself to feed good beer to slugs. I had good results with simply water, a pinch of sugar, and a pinch of yeast. It took a day or two for the slugs to show up in the dish, I assume that was when the fermentation reached the "yummy" stage. Based on this I assume that the alcohol isn't an important factor in attracting and killing the slugs, since after a couple days there would be very little alcohol in the solution. Perhaps the smell of the fermentation or CO2 is the attractant, and they simply drown.
Jun 15, 2010. 7:38 PMsillyzombie666 says:
im not sure what this instuctable is about really. are you turning garbage into beer, or feeding it to slugs the subject name / ingredients confuses me
Jun 15, 2010. 10:44 AMDude567 says:
What mixture did you use to get hydrated lime

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Author:gaiatechnician
I am a stone mason. My hobby is making new solar cooking and gardening stuff. I have used solar heat to cook soil for a couple of years. In mother earth news in January, i read that their compost expe...
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