Re: SPORES TO BE USED IN MY HOMEMADE COMPOST??? from Homemade Kombucha...

Hi Lili,

Maybe we should say the stuff on the bottom of the glass container is 'the dregs'. And sort of like 'the mother' you find in good vinegar. Spores is more a reference to fungus or true mushrooms, and as such it might seem scary, the thought of adding it to compost. But both the dregs and the scoby can be put in the compost, with no danger whatsoever.

As far as rinsing the scoby ever few days--I have not run across this. And since a brewing time takes (for me) about 14 days, to do so would be odd indeed. Are you speaking of when you have a scoby that is resting, between brewing sessions? In that case, you'd be letting it rest in some of the kombucha itself, or , for a longer rest, in the 'fridge'. In neither case would you rinse, except perhaps when you begin a new brew. Usually I just gently wipe of any stringy stuff.


Your method sounds interesting--such a small amount of tea must mean the honey itself is doing the main work--and so maybe your brewing time is quite short? And you are covering the brewing container with fine woven cloth or several layers of cheesecloth, correct? (keeps out the flying critters.)

It's been so hot the past few weeks in my area that fruit flies seem to have sprung up from nothing! But they don't bother the kombucha which seems to prefer to sit in the dark cupboard. This is another interesting thing-- The best kombucha I've made has been either wrapped in a cloth, looking like some kind of precious swaddled infant :-), or sits in the cupboard. > It seems to get enough air that way, and likes the solitude, I guess.



If you know any dogs, apparently the extra SCOBYs make good chew toys--dried out like rawhide. I once tried to eat it, thinking it was something like marinated squid--back when I still would eat that. I just hate to waste it. My compost has a lot of it.

Chiron