How to Make Compost Tea at Home
If you are looking for a way to add health and longevity to your garden, then try making your own tea compost at home. Tea compost contains billions of bacteria that benefit the growth of plants. These bacteria fight off disease and help build a strong soil structure that decomposes toxins and retains high levels of water. By making your own tea compost, you will save yourself money. You can brew as much tea compost as you need, and you can eventually reuse any leftover compost. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- 2 buckets (at least 5 gallons)
- Compost
- Water
- Long stick
- Cheesecloth
- Large rubber band or stapling gun
- Watering can
Instructions
-
-
1
Choose the appropriate size bucket for the compost tea. A large garden will require a bucket that can hold 55 gallons, whereas a smaller garden will only require a 5-gallon bucket.
-
2
Fill the bucket ¾ full with compost. Do not pack the compost in the bucket; you only need to fill it loosely to ensure that you can stir it later. Use compost such as manure that has a balanced ratio of carbon and nitrogen. Refrain from using compost that has a foul odor, or excessively hot compost. Check your local landfills for free and inexpensive compost.
-
-
3
Add water to the bucket. Try collecting rainwater to prevent adding harmful chemicals to the compost tea. Fill the bucket with water, leaving just enough space at the top to give you room to stir.
-
4
Place your bucket in an area where it can stay warm. Avoid placing your compost in direct sun.
-
5
Allow the compost to steep for at least one week. Stir the compost every day with a long stick to brew the tea.
-
6
Strain the particles from the liquid after one week. Place a piece of cheesecloth over the top of a clean bucket large enough to hold the compost. Use a large rubber band to secure the cheesecloth, or try stapling it to the sides of the bucket. Scoop your compost tea out of its bucket onto the cheesecloth.
-
7
Dilute the tea compost with 1 part compost tea and 10 parts water. (Undiluted compost will be too strong to place directly on plants.)
-
8
Pour the diluted tea compost into a watering can. Apply the tea to the roots of your plants. You only need to apply this compound once or twice a month.
-
9
Place the strained compost materials into a compost pile. If you need to make another batch soon, use fresh compost because this will lack the appropriate nutrients needed for the tea.
-
1
