The Recipe for Compost Tea is simple:

  • Water (5 gallon bucket)
  • Active Compost (fill a tube sock and tie it closed)
  • A Food Source (about a table spoon)

Put all the items in your 5-gallon bucket. Let your tea brew for about 24 hours. If you let it sit longer you may need to add an air pump to keep oxygen in the water. After the 24 hours the compost tea has a “shelf life” of 4-6 hours. I usually fill a watering can and pour the rich compost tea all over my lawn and garden.

So does this really work? If you were to toss the three basic ingredients necessary for the simple compost tea recipe together  you would likely see an improvement in your garden. However, there are a few simple details to help you make basic compost tea into great compost tea.

First of all you need good water. Most municipal water sources have some chlorine in them. To de-chlorinate your water let it sit for a day or two.

Good active compost is important. Active compost has live microorganisms in it. Most compost tea brewers prefer to use vermicompost as it has a very high level of quality microorganisms. These organisms are what grow and reproduce to improve your compost tea. However, good compost from a maintained compost pile will work fine.

Feed the microorganism and they will reproduce at a higher rate. Common choices of compost tea food is molasses, fish emulsion, or kelp. In some situations it might even be good to combine a few of the ingredients. With the addition of food you will create better compost tea.

Now that we have the basic compost tea recipe figured out, watch for some variations to the recipe and a few techniques to make the compost tea better.

How do you make and use your compost tea?