Unlock Your Garden’s Potential: Combining with Compost Teas for Thriving Plants

Key Takeaways

• Compost tea is a natural, brewed liquid fertilizer packed with beneficial microbes.
• It improves soil structure, enhances nutrient availability, and boosts plant health.
• Brewing involves steeping high-quality compost in aerated water with supplements.
• Applying compost tea as a root drench or foliar spray provides targeted nourishment.
• Regular application supports robust growth and can help plants resist pests and diseases.

There’s a secret weapon many passionate gardeners swear by for nurturing incredibly healthy, vibrant plants – and it’s brewed right from the heart of their own garden! We’re talking about the magic of combining with compost teas. Far more than just liquid fertilizer, this living elixir is a game-changer for soil health and plant vitality. Think of it as a nutrient-rich, microbe-packed energy drink for your garden friends. On our farm, we’ve seen firsthand the incredible difference that regular applications of compost tea can make, transforming everything from delicate orchids to bountiful citrus trees. Let’s explore why this simple practice is so powerful and how you can start brewing your own ‘liquid gold’.

What is Compost Tea and Why Use It?

Compost tea is essentially a liquid extract made by steeping finished compost in water, often with added nutrients and aeration. This process encourages the multiplication of beneficial microorganisms – bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes – that are crucial for healthy soil ecosystems. When you use compost tea, you’re not just adding nutrients; you’re inoculating your soil and plant surfaces with these hardworking microbes.

Why bother combining with compost teas? The benefits are numerous:

• Boosts Soil Life: It introduces a diverse population of beneficial microbes that improve soil structure, water retention, and aeration.
• Enhances Nutrient Availability: Microbes in the tea help break down organic matter and unlock nutrients already present in the soil, making them more accessible to plant roots.
• Suppresses Diseases: Healthy microbial populations can outcompete or prey on harmful pathogens in the soil and on leaf surfaces.
• Promotes Plant Growth: Improved nutrient uptake and a healthier root environment lead to stronger, more vigorous plant growth.
• Reduces Chemical Need: It’s a fantastic organic alternative to synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, creating a more sustainable gardening practice.

We’ve incorporated brewing and applying compost tea into our regular plant care routine, typically every two to three weeks. It’s become an indispensable part of how we maintain the health and productivity of our diverse plant collection.

Home-scale compost tea brewer (System10) for garden plant nourishment

Brewing Your Own “Liquid Gold”

Making compost tea requires a few simple steps, but the key is often aeration. Aerobic compost tea (brewed with oxygen) is generally preferred as it promotes beneficial aerobic microbes and avoids the potential for harmful anaerobic organisms. Professional brewing systems make this process straightforward. We use systems that allow us to consistently produce high-quality, aerated tea.

Here’s a look at the process, based on our experience:

The Brewing Setup

A dedicated compost tea brewer is ideal. These systems typically include a tank, an aeration device (like a bubble diffuser), and a basket or filter for holding the compost. Placement is important – a sheltered spot with access to power and water is necessary. We have smaller units for greenhouse use and larger ones for broader application across the farm.

Fine bubble diffusion disc at the bottom of the compost tea brewing tank

The aeration disc is critical. It creates fine bubbles that ensure oxygen is distributed throughout the water and around the compost, keeping those beneficial aerobic microbes happy and multiplying.

Step-by-Step Brewing

1. Fill the Tank: Start with potable water. Fill the brewing tank up to the marked line.
   Filling the compost tea brewing tank with clean water

2. Aeration & De-chlorination: Turn on the aerator. The bubbling action helps remove chlorine, which can harm microbes, and adds essential oxygen. Letting it bubble for about 30 minutes before adding compost is a good practice if your water contains chlorine.
   Aerating water in the brewing tank to remove chlorine and add oxygenBubble action from the diffusion disc in the compost tea brewer

3. Add Catalyst (Optional but Recommended): Many brewing recipes or systems recommend a catalyst or microbial food source. This is often a mix of simple sugars and nutrients that gives the microbes a ready food source to kickstart their population growth. Add the recommended amount to the aerating water.
   Adding compost tea catalyst powder to activate microbial growth

4. Prepare the Compost Basket: Place the filter basket onto its tray. This holds the compost and allows the water and bubbles to circulate through it, extracting the beneficial microbes and soluble nutrients.
   Compost filter basket tray resting on top of the brewing tank

5. Add the Compost: Use high-quality, finished compost. We use our own “black gold” made right here on the farm. The amount depends on the size of your brewer; for a 10-gallon system, it’s typically around seven cups. Fill the basket about halfway.
   Adding nutrient-rich farm compost to the tea filter basket

6. Submerge and Brew: Place the compost basket into the water in the brewing tank. The system should continue to bubble. The brewing process usually takes 24 hours to allow the microbial populations to multiply significantly.
   Submerging the compost basket into the aerated water for brewingView of compost steeping and bubbling in the brewing tank

7. Cover the Brewer: Place the lid back on the system to keep debris out and maintain temperature.
   Lid placed on the compost tea brewing system

Checking and Finishing the Brew

After 24 hours, your compost tea should be ready. The water will have taken on a tea-like color, and the microbial activity will have peaked.

Checking the compost tea system after a 24-hour brewing cycle

The compost in the basket will look noticeably less dense as many of the soluble components and microbes have been extracted into the liquid.

Empty filter basket after the compost tea brewing process is complete

Adding Boosters (Optional)

For an extra kick, we sometimes add supplementary liquid fertilizers or plant vitamin solutions after the brewing cycle. This might include fish fertilizer, seaweed extract, or other growth stimulants. These are added to the finished tea and bubbled in for a short period to ensure even mixing.

Adding liquid booster supplements like fish fertilizer and seaweed extract to finished compost tea

Adding plant vitamin solution like SUPERthrive to the tea mixturePouring booster mixture into the compost tea brewing tank for final mixing

Once the boosters are mixed, the tea is ready to use!

Industrial grade valve for dispensing finished compost tea

Applying Compost Tea to Your Plants

Compost tea can be applied in two main ways:

1. Root Drench: Water the base of your plants with the tea. This is the most common method and directly benefits the soil structure and root health. It’s like giving the soil itself a healthy meal.
   Wilmer watering plant roots with brewed compost tea liquid fertilizer
2. Foliar Spray: Diluted tea can be sprayed onto plant leaves. This allows the beneficial microbes to colonize the leaf surface, potentially helping to prevent foliar diseases and allowing for nutrient absorption through the leaves.

We use both methods depending on the plant and the desired outcome.

Success Stories: Orchids and Citrus

We’ve seen fantastic results combining with compost teas on a variety of plants, including some of our favorites like orchids and citrus trees.

Orchids

Orchids thrive on consistent, gentle feeding. Compost tea provides essential nutrients and supports healthy root systems, which are crucial for these epiphytic or terrestrial beauties.

• Scientific Name: Orchidaceae (Family)
• Common Name: Orchid
• Zone: Varies widely by species (tropical to temperate)
• Light: Varies (bright indirect light is common)
• Humidity: High (often 50-70%+)
• Water: Needs careful watering; roots should dry slightly between waterings. Avoid soggy roots.

Giving our orchids a drink of compost tea every couple of weeks increases plant vigor and leads to more robust blooms.
Wilmer watering beautiful blooming orchids with compost teaHealthy orchid blooms supported by compost tea nutrition

Remember, while orchids love humidity, they hate sitting in wet soil. Good drainage is key, even when feeding them nutrient-rich tea.
Orchid roots in a pot emphasizing the need for good drainage

Citrus Trees

Our citrus trees are heavy feeders and benefit immensely from the boost provided by compost tea. We have a larger brewing system specifically for the volume needed for our collection.
Large 25-gallon compost tea brewing system for extensive garden use

• Scientific Name: Citrus spp. (Genus)
• Common Name: Citrus (Lemon, Orange, Lime, Grapefruit, etc.)
• Zone: 8-11 (depending on species and variety), often grown in containers in colder zones
• Light: Full sun (8-12+ hours daily)
• Humidity: Prefers moderate to high humidity but can tolerate average indoor levels
• Water: Water deeply when the top inch of soil is dry; avoid waterlogging.

The larger system follows the same simple process, just on a bigger scale.
Cleaning components of the larger compost tea brewing systemAdding catalyst powder to the larger compost tea brewerLarger brewing tank beginning the aeration and brewing processAdding compost to the filter basket of the 25-gallon tea brewerPlacing the compost basket and lid on the large brewing systemAdding booster supplements to a large batch of compost teaDispensing finished compost tea from the large brewing system

Feeding the citrus roots with compost tea is part of their regular care.
Wilmer applying compost tea as a root drench to citrus treesCompost tea can be applied as a root drench or foliar spray

We make sure every citrus plant gets a good drink of this nourishing liquid. Alongside ample sunshine and good air circulation, regular compost tea feeding contributes significantly to their health and fruit production.
Watering potted citrus trees with freshly brewed compost teaHealthy citrus trees receiving a drink of compost tea

The joy of seeing healthy, productive plants that provide delicious fruit makes the effort of brewing compost tea incredibly rewarding.
Abundant fruit on healthy citrus trees fertilized with compost tea

Conclusion

Embracing the practice of combining with compost teas is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your garden’s long-term health and vitality. It’s an organic, sustainable way to feed your soil and your plants simultaneously, fostering a thriving microbial ecosystem that leads to stronger growth and more abundant yields. While brewing systems make it easier, you can even start with simpler methods. Give it a try and watch your garden flourish!

Have you used compost tea in your garden? Share your experiences or ask your questions in the comments below! Don’t forget to explore other helpful gardening tips and tricks on Thelittle.garden.