During gardening we always want our home garden plants to flourish in their growing season, for this, we also buy a lot of fertilizers but do you know that compost tea is the best fertilizer for all types of plants? Yes, it is like a health tonic for our green friends, packed with nutrients. So today, through this article we will discuss all about compost tea including how to make organic compost tea for plants at home, its recipe/method, benefits, how to use and how to make compost tea without using a pump. So what are you waiting for, let us know the DIY guide to make compost tea for plants at home.
What Is Compost Tea?
Compost tea is like a special drink for your garden plants. This is not the kind of tea you drink, but a liquid fertilizer made from highly enriched manure. This compost tea is full of tiny organisms, called microorganisms, and nutrients that your plants love. Think of it as a plant energy drink, making your garden thrive and a happy place.
Benefits of Compost Tea
Why does everyone suggest organic compost tea for plants? Let us know its benefits:
- Better Soil: It makes your garden soil extremely comfortable for plants to grow.
- Multi-Nutrients: Plants need food, and compost tea is like a dose of nutrients for them.
- Fights bad bugs: It helps protect your plants from bad bugs and diseases.
- Grows Stronger Plants: Your plants grow strong, and ready for anything, like superheroes. Tea compost improves plant growth, flowering, and higher yield.
- Happier Roots: Your plants’ little roots love swimming in compost tea; It’s like a spa day for them.
(Read More: Organic Fertilizers: Types, and Benefits for Gardening…)
What You’ll Need To Make Compost Tea For Plants
Now, let’s gather some common ingredients to make this amazing organic compost tea at home:
- 1 Big Container or Bucket
- 1 big handful of old manure or compost
- 1 big handful of garden soil
- 2 handfuls of straw
- 1 cup fish emulsion
- 1 cup seaweed
- Molasses/Jaggery
- Water
Methods for Preparing Compost Tea
Now that we’ve got our ingredients, it’s time to make compost tea for plants at home. There are two recipes or methods to make your compost tea: the quick way and the slow way.
a) Quick Method:
- Take a bucket or container filled with 2-3 liters of water then add 1-2 cups of prepared compost. Leave them for 24 hours.
- After this, filter the compost tea and fill it in a spray bottle.
- You can either spray the organic fertilizer tea directly onto the leaves of the plants or it can be used to water the roots of the plants.
b) Slow Method:
The second method may take a little more time and effort than the first, but it produces a more effective and powerful compost tea. To make compost tea at home for plants using the second method, follow the following steps:
- Fill a 10-liter bucket or container with water.
- Now add 1 big handful of compost, 1 big handful of garden soil, 2 handfuls of straw, 1 cup of fish emulsion, and 1 cup of seaweed liquid.
- Now shake the mixture well and keep it for 24 hours.
- After 24 hours, separate the compost from the water and filter the liquid.
- Add 1 cup of jaggery or molasses to the prepared mixture and keep it for 24 hours. After 24 hours you can mix them in the garden soil.
- Before spraying compost tea on the leaves of plants, dilute it by adding water, otherwise, it can harm the plants.
(Read More: How to Choose the Perfect Organic Soil for Your Garden…)
How to Apply Compost Tea In Your Garden
Let’s give it to our plants after making compost tea at home. There are different ways to do this, you can choose as you wish:
- Spraying: Fill a spray bottle with diluted organic fertilizer tea and spray it on your plants. It’s like giving them a refreshing bath.
- Drip Irrigation: If you have a drip system in your home garden, you can add compost tea to the water but remember not to add too much compost tea to the water. It’s like your plants are drinking compost tea all day long.
- Foliar Spray: This is like a spa treatment for your plant’s leaves. Spray tea compost directly onto the leaves for a nutrient boost. For this, you can mix one part of the compost tea with five parts of water.
- Soil Drenching: Pour diluted compost tea directly onto the soil around your plants. It’s like giving a special gift to the roots.
- Root Drench: If you want a slow-release dose of nutrients for your plants, this is the best way to apply compost tea to plants. For this, you can mix one part of the compost tea with ten parts of water and soak the roots of the plants with this mixture for several hours.
(Read More: How to Apply Fertilizers in the Rainy Season: A Guide for Healthy Plant Growth…)
FAQs
Can I use any compost to make compost tea?
You can use any kind of old compost that is rich in nutrients. But remember to avoid using fresh or unfinished compost or manure.
How often should I apply compost tea?
A good rule of thumb is to feed the plant compost tea once every 2-4 weeks during the growing season. Adjust based on your plant’s needs.
Can I make compost tea without an aeration system?
Yes, you can make non-aerated compost tea by simply soaking the compost in water.
(Read More: How To Use Cow Dung Manure Fertilizer In Your Home Garden…)
Hopefully, you now have the information on how to make organic compost tea for plants at home, including the benefits of compost tea, recipe, and how to use them in plants. So now give your plants the superhero treatment they deserve. Watch them grow stronger, healthier, and happier with this organic homemade compost tea. Happy gardening!