There is no secret that compost can act as the best magic source for your beautiful garden. However, there is a limitation because there is a range of distinctive options. These options comprise the kind of compost pile and the ingredients to be used.
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Have you ever heard of compost tea? If yes, then you know it has a myriad of reported advantages. It is just like a natural alternative to the products being sold at gardening stores for growing your plants. So, make your compost tea at home by going through the below-mentioned method.
What is compost tea?
We all know tea is an infusion that needs water for boiling and pouring it over herbs for creating the healthiest drink. On the other hand, compost tea is just like a healthy drink for your plants. If you take a look at the process, then you’ll notice it is quite closer to fermentation, and thus, it can almost be referred to as compost beer.
Such kind of liquid can be easily produced with the extraction of beneficial microbes like fungi, nematodes, bacteria, protozoa, etc from compost with the brewing process. Overall, a true compost tea comes with organisms that were there before brewing.
How to make compost tea?
Compost tea can be made with or without aeration and adding supplemental nutrient sources like molasses that feed microbes. For best results, aeration and supplements are recommended, and the right compost is critical.
Supplies and ingredients
- Non-chlorinated water (use tap water already sit for 24 hours age or choose rainwater)
- 5-gallon bucket.
- 1 shovel-scoop of finished compost.
Instructions
- Take your five-gallon bucket and dump shovel-full of compost. In the rest of your bucket, pour water. Now, it’s time to stir and stir. If possible, then stir that mixture twice a day and do it for about a week.
- If you think, this mixture is ready to use, then strain the compost from the rest of the water.
Apply your compost
- You can use undiluted finished compost tea, or in case, it turns very dark, then try to dilute it 1:1 with water.
- If you wanted to use your tea on a large scale, then it is better to dilute it further for making it stretch.
- It might be poured around your plants’ roots, then allow until the soil soaks it completely. You can even spray this tea directly on your plant’s leaves.
Conditions for brewing compost tea
Foods
When you add food to a brew, you’ll select specific species that can easily use such foods. Do you want a fungal brew? Add more complex foods like plant material. If a bacterial brew is desired, add more sugars and simple proteins. Predators like protozoa can be boosted with the addition of hay.
Temperature
During brewing, the temperature must be related to the leaf surface or soil temperature. For instance, if you’re applying tea in the late autumn, then it might be wiser to use the tea when most organisms are felled asleep. Selection for such ability can be enhanced with the addition of plant material to the brew, like oatmeal.
Oxygen
Beneficial organisms are something that boosts the processes that your plants require for being more productive and growing without any stress. Thus, these aerobic organisms come with the greatest resistance to any kind of disease. So, tea compost can be used for enhancing the community of such benefits.
Benefits of compost tea
Better growth
There will be improved plant growth due to the protection of plant surfaces along with beneficial organisms. Through this infection, sites will be occupied, and disease-causing organisms can be prevented from the plant attack.
Improved soil structure
You can notice a change in soil structure with the daily application of compost tea. The presence of biological components in soil decides to create its structure. When all organism groups are present in the food web, then it will form a good structure.
Better nutrition
Boost in plant nutrition can be seen with more nutrient availability in the root system. Such availability increases due to the interactions between predator-prey at the right time, amount, and place as per the plant requirement.
No need for fertilizer
When there is healthy soil, there will be less leaching of nutrients down beyond plant root zones. In comparison to store-bought fertilizer, your compost tea can be fine-tuned and developed to target particular plants’ needs and conditions. Overall, with more nutrient-rich soil, there will be less need for fertilizer.
Conclusion
Compost tea has been considered a magic elixir that is strong enough to make your plants jump higher, ripen faster, and run farther. It is not only limited to providing your soil with a range of nutrients. However, it has the potential for boosting the microbe population in your garden.
