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Compost Tea for Gardens

​Compost is the organic material that gardeners add to soil. Compost tea is a convenient liquid way to give plants the nutrients they need to thrive.

Botanical Illustration of a breadroot plant.

Compost Tea for the Organic Garden

A handful of compost which may be used to make compost tea.
​Soil quality and depth are the keys to a successful organic garden. Deep, loose, topsoil provides the space for strong roots to grow. Of course, not every garden is blessed with the ideal topsoil. Any soil, however, can be turned and loosened and essential nutrients added. Instead of using chemical fertilizers, gardeners can add organic materials through the wise use of compost. 

​Adding Compost Benefits a Garden
Garden soil needs to be alive with beneficial microbes and bugs. Compost is the best way to introduce them into the soil. Even nature’s best soil is improved by adding organic material. Soil loaded with organic material holds on to water better, drains better, and stays fully aerated.

Here are some of the perks of adding organic compost material:
  • Turns compacted soil into loose soil
  • Increases plant growth
  • Decreases run-off and reduces water usage
  • Provides beneficial organisms and nutrients to plants
  • Replaces toxic garden chemicals
  • Decomposes harmful chemicals, pesticides, or other toxins
  • Increases the nutrition and flavor of fruits or vegetables.

Using the Compost Tea Alternative
Compost is a solid mixture that must be turned into the soil to work. Compost tea is a liquid that can easily be poured into the soil or even sprayed onto the the base of the plant. Compost tea:
  • Adds beneficial microorganisms
  • Drenches the soil to improve root system
  • Saturates the leaves to reduce disease.

Compost, as a solid material is best applied 2-3 inches thick and roto-tilled into the existing soil. That’s a lot of compost! Compost tea requires much smaller amounts of compost. The process of brewing compost tea actually grows and increases the numbers of microorganisms. It’s a way of maximizing a compost resource.
​
Brewing Compost Tea at Home
The best compost tea is an aerated mixture. Even so, it’s easy to make at home. Brewing the tea uses aquarium pumps to force rich air bubbles through the liquid. Microorganisms need that oxygen to grow. When it is steeped but not aerated, the compost tea may not include as many live organisms. It’s more like plain stagnant water, and much less beneficial.
After several days of brewing, compost tea is ready to apply. As a foliage spray, it is applied full strength. The solution is sprayed generously to the undersides and tops of a plant’s leaves. The tea may also be diluted and applied as a soil drench, where solid fertilizers are not practical. Either way is effective and safe for family, children, or pets.

Pine tree logo for simple tens.
Author: Karla Beatty
​Most organic gardeners prefer to avoid using chemical fertilizers. Compost is an organic fertilizer and a safer alternative. Using compost tea is an easy way to add billions of microorganisms to a healthy organic vegetable garden. It’s better for the environment, the water supply, and safer for growing healthy foods. 
Read more about how to make compost tea and organic gardening.

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  • Home
    • Index of Articles
    • About
    • Disclaimer
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
  • Meditation
    • Sitting Meditation
    • Walking Meditation Basic Techniques
    • Walking Meditation Benefits
    • Meditation Breathing
    • Meditation Posture
    • Breathing: On Counting Breaths
    • Practicing: On Meditation Practice
    • Bellows Breathing
    • Mindfulness of Breathing
    • Buddhism 101: The Grand Illusion
  • LifeStyle
    • Mind and Spirit >
      • How To Be Happy
      • Pope's Tips for a Happier Life
      • Happiness If-Onlys
      • What is Love
      • Psychic Protection in Crowds
    • Work Abundance >
      • Jobs Using the Internet
      • Be a Team Player
      • Time for a New Career?
      • Be More Productive
    • People Connection >
      • 10 Nice Things You Can Do for Your Neighbors
      • Live a Long Life
      • Mini-Tens >
        • Funny Tens >
          • Cheesy Pick Up Lines
          • Pick Up Lines for Scientists
    • Food for Life >
      • Lacy Baked Cheese Crisps
      • Healthy Snack Kale Chips
      • An Apple a Day
      • Become a Vegan
      • Tips for a Vegan Diet
      • Juice Cleanse
      • Juice Cleanse Recipes
    • Expanding World >
      • Travel First-Aid Kit
      • 10 Ways to Relieve Stress
  • Creative Arts
    • You Can Do It >
      • Oil Painting Brushes
      • How To Hold a Paint Brush
      • Painting with a Painter's Knife
      • How To Hold a Painting Knife
      • Use a Painting Knife: Textures and Marks
      • Sketchbooks for Artists
      • Be Creative With Your Photographs
      • Warm Up the Voice for Singing
      • How To Write A Haiku Poem
      • Listen to Music
    • Creativity Matters >
      • Traits of Creative People
      • Jobs for Creatives
      • Joyful Music
      • Funniest Songs
    • Arts Appreciated >
      • Vincent Van Gogh Insights into Creativity
      • Brilliant Quotes for Artists
      • History of Botanical Illustration
      • Haiku Poetry of Basho
  • Nature
    • Environment >
      • Sow Bugs in Vegetable Gardens
      • Sow Bugs and Diatomaceous Earth
      • Organic Pest Control
      • Organic Lawn Care
      • Feeding and Weeding Organic Lawn Care
      • Compost Tea
      • Making Compost Tea
      • 10 Steps to Organic Lawn Care
      • Ground Covering Plants
      • Electric Vehicles Benefits
      • Recycling Paper Benefits
      • Save Energy and Natural Resources
      • Wind Mill Turbines
    • Natural World >
      • Survive an Earthquake
      • Survive a Landslide
      • Tsunamis Start With Little Warning
      • Coyotes and People Encounters
      • Domesticated Insects
    • Your World Outdoors >
      • Spiritual Experiences in Nature
      • Natural Tick Prevention
      • Tailgate Parties Go Green
  • Well-Being
    • Self-Care Vitality >
      • Muscle Relaxation Head and Back
      • Progressive Muscle Relaxation
      • How to Breathe
      • Breathe Deeply Health Benefits
      • High Heels Are Hurting Me
      • Natural Skin Care Tips
      • Dry Brush Skin Exfoliation
    • Alternative Medicine >
      • Natural First Aid Kit
      • CoQ10 for Vibrant Health
      • Rhodiola, a Natural Herbal Alternative
      • 10 Natural Home Remedies for Bee Stings
      • Safe Tick Repellent
      • Natural Deodorants Lose Underarm Odor
    • Fitness Your Way >
      • Motivational Quotes for Fitness and Exercise
      • Cardio Exercise for the Lazy
      • Motivational Quotes to Lose Weight
      • 10 Ways to Boost Metabolism
      • Fatigue Fighters Boost Energy
    • Food As Medicine >
      • Foods That Fight Cancer
      • Honey as Medicine
    • Tens Devices >
      • TENS Units
      • Comparison of TENS and EMS
  • Contact