Compost Tea - What It Is And The Benefits
Compost tea is a liquid solution made by steeping compost in water, creating a nutrient-rich “brew” that can be applied to plants, trees, soil, or garden beds. It’s a natural and eco-friendly way to enrich the soil, promote plant growth, and improve soil health. But what exactly is compost tea, and how does it work its magic?
You can think of compost tea as vitamins for plants; they are a great overall plant health booster. In turn, healthy plants are better able to resist pests and diseases. Benefits associated with compost tea include:
Improved soil health; if soil is nutrient-rich, the need for fertilizer is minimized
Improved water retention capacity of soil; which may reduce the need for frequent watering
Improved soil structure; the biological components in a soil are what create its structure. For good soil structure, all organism groups in the food web — bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, and microarthropods — need to be present. By using tea you are adding these microbes
Stimulated plant root growth; deeper roots retain moisture better and help reduce runoff
How Compost Tea is Made
Traditionally, compost tea has been produced by putting finished compost into a barrel with water. It sits for many days until the liquid turns a dark brown. The finished product is then poured on and around the garden plants, adding valuable humic acid.
Over the past several years, some researchers have found that aerating the compost tea while it is brewing increases its benefits to plants and soil. Adding air dramatically increases the number of beneficial microbes present in the tea. Billions of microbes can grow within hours.
When these microbes are applied to soils, their benefits are many. They improve plant growth and vigor by helping it take in nutrients and store food. Healthy plants are better able to resist diseases. They help break down compacted soils, allowing more air and root spaces for plants.
Some research has shown compost tea to be effective at suppressing plant diseases such as Phytophthora, Pythium, and Fusarium. Compost tea microbes can suppress diseases by increasing resistance to pathogens, antagonizing and competing with pathogens on leaf surfaces, and inhibiting pathogen spores.
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