How to Use Compost Tea to Feed Your Garden

Compost tea is liquid fertilizer made by steeping finished compost in water for 24-48 hours, then applying it directly to soil and plant leaves as a nutrient-rich organic feed.

1. Gather Your Materials First. You'll need finished compost (dark, crumbly, and sweet-smelling), a 5-gallon bucket, cheesecloth or old t-shirt, a stick for stirring, and non-chlorinated water. If your tap water is chlorinated, let it sit out overnight to let the chlorine evaporate, or use rainwater if available.
2. Bundle Compost Into Tea Bag. Fill a cheesecloth or old t-shirt with 2-3 cups of finished compost and tie it securely to create a large tea bag. Make sure the fabric is tied tight enough that compost won't leak out but loose enough for water to flow through easily.
3. Let Time Do the Work. Place your compost bag in the 5-gallon bucket and fill with non-chlorinated water. Stir the mixture vigorously for a minute to get things started. Let it steep for 24-48 hours, stirring occasionally. The water should turn a rich brown color, like weak coffee or tea.
4. Strain to Perfect Strength. Remove the compost bag and squeeze out excess liquid back into the bucket. The resulting tea should be light brown - if it's very dark, dilute it with more water until it looks like weak tea. Strong compost tea can burn plant roots and leaves.
5. Feed Plants Now. Pour the compost tea directly around the base of plants, soaking the soil thoroughly. You can also use it as a foliar spray by putting it in a spray bottle and misting leaves in the early morning or evening. Use the tea within 24 hours for best results - it doesn't store well.
6. Return Spent Compost to Pile. Empty the spent compost from your fabric bag back into your compost pile or work it directly into garden soil. Rinse your bucket and cloth thoroughly. You can repeat this process weekly during growing season for continuous feeding.