How to Make Organic Compost Tea
Every gardener should use compost tea. Along with it's cousin
"manure tea", they are the "liquid gold"
of flower, herb, and vegetable gardening. It's the perfect organic liquid
fertilizer, to feed all of your plants. If you are not currently making and
using Compost Tea, you are likely spending money for a liquid fertilizer.
Don't you think it's time to stop spending hard earned cash, and use free,
easy to make, organic compost tea? Sure you do!
Yes, organic compost tea is easy to make. It's a by-product of the composting
process. Just collect the liquid draining out the bottom of your compost
pile or composter. You can also make it, by soaking compost in water for
a few days. The material releases nutrients and minerals into the water,
which is then drained off for use in feeding your garden plants.
When is the best tea time for your plants? ..........Anytime! Any and every
plant responds positively, with new, greener growth. In liquid form, nutrients
and minerals are readily absorbed by your plants. It reaps fast rewards with
greener leaves, bigger, brighter blooms, and larger, more prolific fruits
and vegetables. From the minute your seedlings emerge, to the final
days of fall, your plants benefit from the nutrient rich ingredients of compost
tea.
Organic gardeners...... compost tea is for you. It is completely organic!
Gardening Tip: Your indoor
houseplants like compost tea, too.
How to make Compost Tea:
Use any large container, from a 5 gallon bucket to a 55 gallon drum. Fill
the container loosely with a variety of plant waste. Or, fill a burlap bag
with compost, and insert this "tea bag" into the container. Yes, you can
toss in a little manure in, too. Fill the container with water. Stir the
mixture every day. Aeration is important to the process of making compost
tea. After a week, your tea is ready to use.
Drain off the liquid. Strain out solid particles. If you are going to use
the liquid fertilizer in a garden sprayer, strain the tea through a cheesecloth
or other fine mesh, to remove small particles that can clog the sprayer.
Tip: You do not have to use it all at once. If you only need a little,
take what you need, leaving the rest to continue to steep, until you need
it.
The resulting pure compost tea is likely too strong for your plants. If you
put a lot of "greens" into the tea, the nitrogen content can be so high,
that it burns the plants. Before applying the tea to your plants, mix 10
parts water with one part compost tea. This 10:1 ratio dilutes the nutrient
levels, so the tea can be safely applied and absorbed.
Spread or bury leftover solid material in your garden, put it back into your
composter, or onto the compost pile for later use.
Tip: Apply this liquid fertilizer for foliar feeding, too. Sprinkle
diluted compost tea on the plant leaves. Nutrients in the tea, are readily
absorbed by the leaves.
Important Note: The liquid nutrients in compost tea, is used immediately
by plants. Because it is in liquid form, it washes out of your soil quickly.
Frequent applications are recommended.
Liquid Fertilizers versus Solid Granular Fertilizers
Because they are in soluble form, liquid fertilizers, like organic compost
tea, have an almost immediate impact on your plants. The nutrients are quickly
absorbed by the plant's root system. The benefit of liquid fertilizers
is short-lived. In liquid form, the nutrients do not remain in the soil long.
Solid, granular fertilizers and compost, release nutrients more slowly over
a period of time. It takes longer to begin to benefit your plants. But, it
lasts for weeks.
We believe the best fertilization program utilizes a combination of both
liquid and solid fertilizers.
Related Topics:
How to Make and Use Organic Manure Tea - it's
a great garden fertilizer
What to Compost -discover
what materials to use and what not to use.
Compost and Mulch - use these liberally in your
garden.
About Composters - learn about
compost tumblers, compost bins and their features.
The Honey Hole
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