The compost tea can not only fertilizes the plants in your garden, but it also provides healthy nutrients to make them stronger and work as a shield to fight diseases. Read the Buzzle article to find out how you can make the tea at home.

Before we take a look at the recipes, let's first understand what compost tea is and how it can be beneficial. Similar to how we use fertilizer in the garden to provide vital nutrients to the soil, the tea is a type of fertilizer that is made up of compost―decaying vegetation and manure combined. Now what the tea does is that it extracts compost from its solid form to a liquid form. The solid compost is mixed with water. This process helps in acquiring rich fertilizer which can be added into the soil. As a natural substitute to the chemical fertilizers and pesticides, this tea is a better option to improve the root system and increase the amount of helpful microorganisms.

Making the Tea at Home

Recipe #1

• In a 5- or 10-gallon plastic bucket, fill it half with compost and the rest with water.
• Leave the mixture aside for about 12―14 days.
• In another clean bucket, dilute the tea even further.
• To do so, use 1 part compost mix to 5 parts water. The color of the tea should resemble iced tea.
• Use a cheese cloth to strain the liquid, and add 2 tablespoons molasses for every gallon of the tea.
• If you have pest issues, you can add citrus oil to the tea as well.

Recipe #2

• In a 10-gallon plastic bucket, fill it with 5 gallons of water, 1 lb. worm castings, 1 tablespoon molasses, 1 tablespoon fish hydrolysis, and 1 tablespoon liquid humic acid.
• Mix all the ingredients properly and let it aerate for about 8―12 hours.
• For aerating the tea, use an aquarium air pump as it will force the air inside the tea.
• Once the tea is ready, in a different bucket, mix 1 part tea with 5 parts water, and use.

Recipe #3

• In a bucket, add 9 liters of water and place an aquarium air pump in.
• Next, you will add 2 cups compost, 3―4 tablespoons molasses, 2 tablespoons fish emulsion, 2 tablespoons seaweed fertilizer, and 2 tablespoons liquid humic acid.
• Once the ingredients are mixed properly, turn on the air pump and let the tea aerate for about 12―18 hours.
• To use the compost, in a different bucket, mix 1 part tea and 5 parts water, and use in garden.

Recipe #4

• To make this recipe, take a plastic bucket to mix 2 lbs. compost, 2 tablespoons ground oatmeal, 2 teaspoons yucca extract, 2 oz. liquid humic acid, and 1 oz. liquid kelp.
• Mix the ingredients properly and let it sit for 12―24 hours.
• Mix the ingredients one more time and place an aquarium air pump inside to aerate it for 6―8 hours.
• Once the tea is ready, take another bucket to mix 1 part tea and 5 parts water, and use.

Recipe #5

• For our last tea recipe, mix 1.5 lbs. compost, 1.6 oz. liquid humic acid, 1 oz. liquid kelp, and 1 oz. molasses together.
• Stir the ingredients and leave it aside for 12―16 hours.
• Aerate the tea with an aquarium air pump for 6―8 hours.
• In a different bucket, mix 1 part tea with 5 parts water, and use.