Compost TeaThere is a lot of controversy surrounding the making and use of compost teas. Some say that when applied to the leaves of a plant they can be an effective way deliver nutrients and to control plant diseases. Others claim that due to the varied composition of compost that there is little scientific proof that they achieve any significantly increased benefits to overall plant health. Nutrients can be extracted from compost by various methods. The simplest takes compost and steeps it in water for a week or two. The compost may be suspended in a bag or nylon hose, or just placed in the water. The resulting extract consisting of soluble nutrients can be fed to plants. The next level of complexity involves using aeration methods and a food source to feed the microbes that live in the compost and enable them to multiply. Aeration can be achieved by several methods but the simplest for the home gardener is an air-stone connected to an aquarium air pump with a length of tubing. A five gallon bucket filled about half way loosely with compost and filled with water plus an ounce or two of a convenient food source such as molasses will work for most home gardeners. The mixture is "brewed" for 24-36 hours and should be used immediately. Herbal teas may be made by filling a large container ¾ full with fresh plant material and filling the container full with warm water. The plant material is left to ferment for a week to ten days. The liquid is strained and diluted one part tea to 5 to 10 parts water and applied to the foliage or the roots. There are a number of caveats to the making and use of compost teas. Compost containing animal manures should have been properly composted so that the internal temperatures of the compost pile reach temperature sufficient to kill any pathogenic bacteria. This is especially important when applying the tea to foliage and fruits. As making compost, especially in a home setting, is a less than scientific undertaking, we recommend that you limit your use of compost teas to soil application. If you wish to experiment with using them in a foliar application, limit it to composts made exclusively with plant material or one of the herbal teas mentioned above. There are a number of compost tea brewers available commercially. For the average home gardener, it is our opinion that these are not cost effective items to purchase and maintain and that compost teas can be produced with simple equipment that can be found around the home or purchased inexpensively. The following link is for the "Compost Tea Brewing Manual," a book that is recognized as one of the most complete books on the subject- http://www.soilfoodweb.com/02_resources/c_tea_manual.html A publication from which some of the information above was obtained can be downloaded from the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service at- http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/compost-tea-notes.pdf Return to Organic Gardening from Compost Tea
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