{"id":10102,"date":"2025-10-20T00:31:48","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T00:31:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/?p=10102"},"modified":"2025-10-20T00:55:16","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T00:55:16","slug":"liquid-compost-sprayer-trials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/liquid-compost-sprayer-trials\/","title":{"rendered":"Liquid compost sprayer trials"},"content":{"rendered":"[mk_page_section bg_image=”https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/soilslider2.jpg” bg_position=”center center” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” bg_stretch=”true” enable_3d=”true” min_height=”500″ js_vertical_centered=”true” padding_top=”” padding_bottom=”” section_id=”donate” el_class=”donate-1″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”70px”][mk_fancy_title font_family=”none” align=”center”]IMPROVING SOIL HEALTH[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider size=”67″][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section section_id=”great-1″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1563789112768{padding-right: 36px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}” el_class=”great_header_left”][mk_padding_divider size=”100″ visibility=”hidden-nb”][mk_padding_divider size=”15″ visibility=”visible-sm”][mk_padding_divider visibility=”visible-tl”][mk_fancy_title size=”28″ letter_spacing=”4″ margin_bottom=”0″ font_family=”none” el_class=”terrain-title-2″]LIQUID COMPOST SPRAYER TRIALS[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider size=”60″ visibility=”hidden-nb”][mk_padding_divider size=”20″ visibility=”visible-nb”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1673847051407{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”][\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1760921164119{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Liquid compost sprayer trials have begun on the Atherton Tablelands as landholders explore new ways to improve their soils and reduce chemical inputs.<\/p>\n

Farmers are working with Terrain NRM to trial a sprayer designed to support the survival of beneficial bacteria in live liquid compost application. The Cyclone Multi-Task Sprayer arrived from New Zealand last month.<\/p>\n

Kairi grazier Kellie Evans, who is also president of the farmer-led Wet Tropics Soilcare group, is one of the landholders trialling the sprayer.<\/p>\n

“Nutrition straight to the leaf surface”<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been making our own compost for four to five years and using a muck spreader to apply it to our pastures before the wet season,\u2019\u2019 she said. \u201cWith the new sprayer, we can also have a liquid compost foliar feeder. It gets nutrition straight to the leaf surface and does it efficiently.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis sprayer is something we\u2019ve been looking at through the Wet Tropics Soilcare group. Through Terrain NRM, it has been brought to the region and we\u2019re hoping for wider usage by landholders once we\u2019ve completed a three-year trial period.\u201d<\/p>\n

A sprayer designed for bulk live-liquid products<\/strong><\/p>\n

Terrain NRM\u2019s Maria Ribbeck said the sprayer\u2019s point of difference was its specific design for bulk live-liquid products.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt can constantly rotate the liquid and keep it aerated. There are no right angles to clog up and the water oxygen levels are at six per cent, which is important for adding aerobic biology,\u2019\u2019 she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFarmers will be trialling two applications a year during growing season and, ideally, we will expand the applications to vermicast, seed distribution, use of bio dynamic preps and mineral balancing.<\/p>\n

Reducing chemical inputs while improving soil, water and carbon properties<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe goal is to reduce chemical inputs while improving soil function and structure, water retention and carbon sequestration. It\u2019s also to have an economical alternative for landholders.\u201d<\/p>\n

So far, Kellie has sprayed 29 hectares of pasture with liquid compost while Ravenshoe biodynamic graziers Lisa Price and Simon Harden are part way through their first application on 50 hectares.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been making thermal compost since 2018 but we hadn\u2019t found an effective way to get it out in volume, and quickly enough across the hectares not to lose oxygen,\u2019\u2019 Lisa said.[\/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider size=”5″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1563789122720{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 34px !important;}” el_class=”great_header_right”][mk_padding_divider size=”206″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1760920686457{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\"\"[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1760921020792{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\u201cAs part of this three-year trial, we\u2019ll be doing base testing including soil analysis, plant sap analysis, soil compaction levels and water infiltration levels.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very weather dependent in our region. We\u2019re looking to spray when there\u2019s a bit of moisture in the air and the right weather conditions have been challenging this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur long-term goal is better infiltration, better grass and healthier cows.\u201d<\/p>\n

Making compost on the farm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Both landholders make their own compost out of on-farm and outsourced materials ranging from cow manure and hay to wood chips. Lisa and Simon make batches of turned thermal aerobic compost each month, while Kellie stockpiles materials to make 80 to 100 tonnes of anaerobic compost each November. They say they\u2019re very different composts but the goals and end results are the same.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re working on using our waste,\u2019\u2019 Kellie said. \u201cWe began making compost when we had a weed issue, so we could make hay from the weeds and use it as part of the mix. Now we use a lot of seed trash and things like wood chips, carcasses of animals, cattle manure\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s time-consuming when you first start out. Everything is. Now we can make 100 tonnes in about four days and the added benefit of an anaerobic system is it doesn\u2019t involve a lot of turning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Climate-smart farming<\/strong><\/p>\n

The sprayer trials are part of Terrain NRM\u2019s \u2018Climate-Smart Farming in the Wet Tropics\u2019 project, supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section el_class=”grean-btn-sec” sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_padding_divider size=”47″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_button dimension=”outline” url=”https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/what-we-do\/biodiversity\/” align=”right” el_class=”green-btn” outline_skin=”custom” outline_active_color=”#175137″ outline_active_text_color=”#ffffff” outline_hover_bg_color=”#175137″ outline_hover_color=”#ffffff”]Read More[\/mk_button][mk_padding_divider size=”100″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section section_id=”great-1-blog” sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_padding_divider size=”105″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_fancy_title size=”28″ letter_spacing=”4″ margin_bottom=”0″ font_family=”none” align=”right” el_class=”terrain-title”]RELATED NEWS[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider visibility=”hidden-sm”][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][vc_row fullwidth=”true” fullwidth_content=”false” id=”post_grid_filter_1″][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=”grid_greate_3″ css=”.vc_custom_1682557110792{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\n

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