Compost tea?

Question

How good is compost tea for plants and how do you apply it to the plants spray leafs, pour on roots?? what?

Answer 1

Compost tea is one of the best fertilizers you can possibly use both as a watering drench and a foliage spray.

I compost with composting worms. The liquid that comes out of the bottom of the worm bins IS NOT compost tea – it is called leachate and it is NOT as desirable as compost tea, vermicompost tea or worm castings tea. The leachate is just runoff from liquid that has been generated in the process of organics decomposing and can have harmful organisms in it, incomplete decomposed matter and is usually anaerobic. You can make the leachate more desirable by adding water to it until it looks like weak tea and aerate it by stirring it a few times a day (whenever it is convenient, for about two days) and then it can be used to water your plants but I would not use it as a foliar feed.

Compost tea, on the other hand, is one of nature’s miracles and is made by adding approximately one cup of COMPLETELY decomposed matter (either completed compost or worm p**p) to each gallon of water and steeping for 48 hours – to be used immediately.

The compost can be put in a canvas or other permeable cloth bag and dropped into a bucket of water. Aerating the water with an air stone and an aquarium pump will make sure the beneficial organisms stay aerobic and the tea can be used as a foliar spray which helps in many ways included repelling a number of insects, molds, etc. – and can be used to water plants as often as you like. A good way to determine the concentration is to dilute whatever liquid you are using to the same turbidity as weak tea. When the compost tea is first made it can be very dark – dilute it. Although it is not necessary to dilute the tea – it cannot burn the roots of your plants – it is unnecessary and wasteful to use it at a more concentrated dilution. You will get the same results from a “milder blend”, so to speak.

There are some who add, say, a cup of molasses or honey to each 5 gallons of water at initial set-up to feed and help the aerobic organisms multiply at a faster rate but there are those who think it is unnecessary. I am one of those.

The finished tea not only adds beneficial microbes to the soil and foliage but assists in keeping beneficial organisms high which help keep pathogens in check.

You will see a difference in the health of your plants almost immediately but in the long run – your plants will grow larger, produce more flowers or fruit and be much less likely to fall victim to harmful organisms both under the soils surface and above.

If it is something you have been thinking of doing – get started right away – you will be thrilled with the results.

Answer 2

Compost tea (or the liquid you get from the bottom of your compost or worm tray) is very nutritious for the garden, but I would dilute it a bit.

Add a bit of water, in a spray gun, and spray it onto the leaves of certain plants.

Alternatively, you could dilute it and water the soil around plants.

Or, I would load it into one of those plastic packs you can attach to your hose, fill it with the tea, and water your whole lawn and garden.

I would use it the same way I use SeaSol.

Good luck

Answer 3

I would love to be the one to make all sorts of testimonials claiming Compost tea is IT, but alas, I have been disappointed by compost tea too many times to make any claims. Frankly, compost tea has never shown any particular benefit to any of my plants.

Ask instead at your local Hydroponic store for liquid fertilizers like sea algae and other natural ingredients, and follow the application directions on the label. Your hydroponics dealer should help hook you up with the right fertilizer for your plants better than the garden guy at Wal-Mart.