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What is Compost Tea

At its most basic, organic compost tea is a liquid made from compost (or composted manure) and water. Compost tea is filled with beneficial bacteria that help build soil structure, remove bad bacteria from your garden, and help release the nutrients in your soil.

Compost tea is also very easy to make at home. We'll step you through the process so you can get started right away.

How to Make Compost Tea at Home

Making a basic organic compost tea at home is very easy. First you just need to get a 5 gallon bucket. Add about a gallon of compost to the bucket. Add 2 tablespoons molasses to the bucket. Then fill the rest of the bucket with water. Let the bucket sit out in the sun and gently stir it several times a day to help incorporate oxygen into the compost tea. After several days your compost tea will be ready to use.

Using Your Compost Tea

To use your compost tea just dilute the tea in a watering can at 1 part compost tea to 4 parts water. You can then water your plants with the tea and it will help balance your soil and provide them with vital nutrients. Many people recommend applying the compost tea once per week. You can even use compost tea on your yard to help strengthen it!

More Compost Tea Resources

There are a lot more ways to make organic compost tea, including some rather involved methods, that you can explore on your own. Here's some of the better ones: Pennsylvania Dept of Environmental Protection, SimpleGiftsFarm.com, and Gardeners Supply Company.