David Wall/Contributing Writer
Pure compost tea (CT) is almost magical, as it’s made from just two ingredients, compost and water. While were talking about vegetable gardens, it works on annual flowers, vegetable plants, herbs, perennials, shrubs and even trees. CT feed plants in two ways. First, they supply nutrients by absorbing into plant roots into the soil. To a lesser degree, they can provide energy by soaking into plant leaves.
Because it’s in liquid form, it works very fast, but what really makes CT so incredible is just how balanced and the nutrients are plus how easy they are for plants to absorb. CTs contain a veritable plethora of nutrients, and they’re all in their purest form. They’ve been slowly decomposed. And all of those nutrients are in their purest form, having slowly decomposed into a readily digestible substance. Then, when soaked in water, the nutrients leach into the water creating a liquid fertilizer that is organic and fast acting.
To make compost tea, fill a 5-gallon or larger bucket at least 1/3 with mature compost. Add well rain or distilled water to near the bucket top. Let sit for 4-5 days, stirring a couple minutes daily. Pour on ground around vegetable plants or even directly on the plants. Using an aerator makes the mixing continuous but doesn’t materially improve the final result.
As discussed, one of the easiest and best ways to help your vegetable plants (OK, flowers too!) is to use nourishing liquids, commonly called compost teas. Liquids that have had compost, banana peels, apple peels, potato peels, or egg shells (pureed) soaked in water 4-5 days, stirring daily, can also provide much need nourishment. All of these and others are variations on compost teas and can be made it at home without any special equipment and at basically no cost.