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Questions tagged [compost-tea]

Liquid extract or dissolved solution made from steeped compost.

Compost tea is a liquid extract or dissolved solution made from compost. It is not a suspension of compost - instead, it is made by steeping (suspending a bad of compost in water - rather like making tea from a tea bag).

The process and treatment was discovered in Germany and found application in disease control - especially fungi, by encouraging bacterial competition. It can also be used as a fertilizer but tests have shown it to be a very weak fertilizer.

Application is typically by spraying on to non-edible plant parts or by drenching the soil (e.g. as a "root dip" or surface spray).

Use this tag for all questions about making, using, and effectiveness of compost tea.

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What is "Compost Tea" good for?

I have read that you can get a tumbler type of composter and collect the "juices" from the composter. This is referred to as "compost tea". Does anyone know what the real usage of this is? Some perusal of the Internet would suggest that holds some…
Randy
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How is manure tea made without E. coli?

As the title would suggest, I may or may not have given my kids e. coli by steeping a bag of what I thought was mushroom compost in a 35 gallon drum and watering my garden with it. (I know it was mushroom compost, I don't know how much manure was in…
Peter Turner
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What is the difference between compost tea, manure tea, compost leachate and herbal tea?

We have seen several questions recently about compost tea. We have also seen questions about manure tea and at least one question that referred to compost leachate as "compost tea." What are the differences between these products/concoctions and how…
wax eagle
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What should not be put in compost tea?

Over the years I have seen examples of people making a type of compost tea which is made by using a large barrel filled with about 70 - 80% water and then adding all sorts of stuff. Some examples I have seen: Dead cane toads -> Just found video…
going
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How does one make compost tea?

Possible Duplicate: How to make manure tea without e. coli In this post, the benefits of compost tea were discussed. In short, it promotes growth, nourishes the plant and the soil, and helps keep diseases off. So how does one go about making…
Lorem Ipsum
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What is actively aerated compost tea?

I've read about compost, and compost tea, but now I've become aware of a newish solution on the block, namely actively aerated compost tea (ACT) versus the traditional non-aerated compost tea. What's the difference and why would I want to use this…
Graham Chiu
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What sort of insects are these?

I threw some infected tomato, and potatoe plants into a bath, and hope to drown all the pests including psyllids. But then these slimy things appeared in the liquid. Their body is the same size as their tails, and they have feet like caterpillars,…
Graham Chiu
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Which is preferred: worm castings or worm casting tea?

I was just wondering, for fast results in plants, which would you prefer: applying worm castings on the top soil or using worm casting tea, and why?
sku
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Compost tea - any combination of ingredients not OK?

I want to make compost tea for my tomatoes but was wondering if it is OK to add several ingredients at once or if there are any that shouldn't go together. Also, should I add more water for each ingredient or can I combine all into one 2 gallon jug?…
Susan Ross
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Can I create a fungi dominant compost tea by brewing it in lower pH water?

I have a lot of cheap compost available from my local landfill, but I would like to create a fungi dominated compost tea to apply to my perennials. Is it possible to create such a tea by using a lower pH water when brewing the tea? It's my…
Eric Johnson
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How much aeration does my compost tea need? How do I provide it?

I've decided to try out active aerated compost tea but I'm unsure of how much aeration to provide, and how. I've seen that I should target 5.5+ ppm oxygen in the liquid, but I have absolutely no sense of how quickly oxygen will be consumed or what…
MackM
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Can dandelion seeds be killed by drowning them in a bucket of water for 30 days?

I used to put dandelions inside of a composting barrel with lawns clippings, unwanted junk mail (paper), etc... However, the dandelions survived the composting process. I would put the dandelions in the trash, except that I am trying to avoid making…
Samuel Muldoon
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My home made compost produces leachate which smells a bit and is mixed with soil underneath, can i use that soil?

I've used a plastic bin with several holes done into it as a composting container. The content are all veggies and fruit leftover. The compost gives out excess water (called leachate / compost tea). see hotbin leachate I'm not sure about the color,…
Itachi
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Making emulsion out of slaughterhouse waste

I have previously made fish emulsion to fertilize a small greywater garden; pretty much sealing fish waste (entrails, bones, skin) into oxygen-free plastic containers and leaving it for 6 months to a year, and using the diluted 'tea' as a…
Adam Mitchell
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