If you’ve never heard of compost tea before, you might be thinking… is this the latest health fad, drinking tea made from compost? Rest assured, we do not drink compost tea but our soil will. I like to think of it as the Evening in Missoula for garden beds.

What is Compost Tea?

Compost tea is simply water in which compost has been steeped. As a result of soaking, the water becomes infused with the compost’s nutrients and microorganisms, things like bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, and micro arthropods.

Benefits of Compost Tea

You can think of compost tea as vitamins for plants; they are a great overall plant health booster. In turn, healthy plants are better able to resist pests and diseases. Benefits associated with compost tea include:

Improved soil health; if soil is nutrient-rich, the need for fertilizer is minimized
Improved water retention capacity of soil; which reduces the need for frequent watering
Improved soil structure; the biological components in a soil are what create its structure. For good soil structure, all organism groups in the food web — bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes and micro arthropods — need to be present. By using tea you are adding these microbes
Stimulated plant root growth; deeper roots retain moisture better and help reduce runoff

How to Make Compost Tea

There are many variations in compost recipes. Below we’ve included a recipe that is fairly simple with materials and ingredients that you likely already have (or will easily have access to). You can also watch the video below where Emily, the Community Gardens Manager, uses this recipe to cook up a batch for the Providence Garden!

Materials

1 bucket - the size of bucket will depend on the size of your garden

1 compost tea brewing bag - burlap sacks work great

Ingredients

*Measurements based on a 5-gallon bucket recipe

1 large handful of compost

1 large handful of garden soil

2 handfuls of straw

1 cup of fish emulsion (pulverized fish, available at most garden centers)

1 cup seaweed extract (optional)

Instructions

Throw the compost, garden soil and straw into your tea bag and tie the bag tightly. Submerge it in your bucket of water and add a dash of fish emulsion and seaweed extract directly to the liquid. Brew the tea for about 36 hours. Keep in mind that the optimal temperature for the brewing stage is between 68° and 72°F.

Once you are ready to use your compost tea, simply fill up your watering can and apply to the leaves and base of the plant. Be sure to water your plants normally BEFORE using the liquid fertilizer or else you’ll end up just washing it off. Water early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid burning leaves in the midday sun.

Enjoy!