Compost tea, anyone?

OK...so I keep hearing about this compost tea. I want to make it myself, but don't know how. Saw a compost tea kit for $160 that makes it in 12 hours. It gives the worm castings and some other stuff to mix together. But I can't spend anymore money right now, soooooo...... can I make this stuff myself?

Um...that gives me a really entertaining visual image but I'd have to say no :).

You could however hire some worms to make some for you. I have a worm bin and use the water that runs through to the bottom diluted with water to water my houseplants, any garden plants in need of extra help, etc.

worms.....ish. I'd have to say that's what I like least about gardening. I know they are great for the garden but they make my skin curl. Well, I may have to bite the bullet and spend the money for the compost making kit.

Don't spend yor money to fast
I believe what kind of tea are you talking? you just need a container , water then whatever you want to dump in it, is the impression i get from most people who make it themselves.Does'nt have to be worms.
I make mime from compost drippings and / or manure , just add water and soak . Unless you really need it in 12 hrs? you should google it first or go to ask Jeeves and type in the question. I bet you can find a do it yourself kit at cheaper ?
good luck
sue

There is also a thread is the classic threads forum

Karen

Go up to ther tabs at the top, click on Garden Terms. Then search for compost tea and alfalfa tea. Lotsa good info there.

I mix a handful of alfalfa pellets, a dash of fish emulsion, a dash of epsom salts and 2 or so cups of Black Kow (composted cow manure) in a 5 gallon bucket. I use it within a day or two so it never gets really smelly.

I hope this link works. It is a PDF file. It sounds really neat and I keep telling myself to try it but I have not got around to it yet. Maybe this week?

http://dchall.home.texas.net/organic/teamaker/PDFs/brewer.pdf

David

newbiegardener, I make compost tea in a plastic garbage can, my ingredients are compost (in a pillow case tied to the side like a tea bag,) fish emulsion, alfalfa meal or pellets ( if using pellets buy the non medicated ) mollasses. I heat my 32 gal can with an aquarium heater, temp over 75% f. and an aquarium pump with two air stones. you can get more creative with additives. but this is the basics. after 3 or more days I sprinkle the liquid 50% or less with water on my garden beds. the more times I use it the more I dilute with water, since the microbes are more established in the soil. good luck, hostajim1

davidmk, thanks for the guidelines. I'm going to try this soon...

Taynors be honest let them know that you have the caddilac of composters that you would like to give to me. Please!
I make mine in 5 gallon cat litter pails. I soak them for a day or 10 and pour them through a window screen funnel to my watering divice. Pressure sprayer and let my house plants have it in the spring and my annuals in the spring and summer. When I get bored and need to be creative I have Used a large water tank from a motorhome that I scavenged. I have one end of it cut open on top only to place in compost about 2 ft long and then the rest of the tank (6') is screened off with rabbit screen and then misquito screen. I pile in the compost and wash the compost with the hose and fill the tank 100 gallons with tea and let it sit overnight and pour it on the next day. This year I'm adding molasses. then I just drive my lawn tractor around and run it out the hose by gravity off the trailor behind it.

ok i confess i have the fancy dancy tumbler , but if i was really smart i would use a garbage can and some pvc pipe , and saved myself a bit of $$$ to use in other more important places like the tomato forum, LOL
Hey a pillow case !!! hello that sounds like an idea , a good one too, i will try that one.
Soferdigs sound like you have more fun than i do comming up with creative ways , than me just turning my tumbler " hooooo huuuummmm" zzzzzzz turn once , turn twice , turn thrice. zzzzzz . but it is cool for making my own soil mix , i do like that, then when i am done i will add the compost and then make my Llama bean tea LOL
sue

You are so mean Sue. Turn once you 20 seconds Me 1 hour, turn twice you 40 seconds me 2 hours. I shall have to stop watching DG so envy won't overcome my life. I should be mixing soil in such a perfect machine. Well just so you know I am mixing a total of over 15 yards so I am using a bobcat and rototiller.

I made compost tea last year and am going to make some more pretty soon. I'm waiting for it to warm up a bit and the snow to go away!! I used a 5 gal. bucket, an aquarium pump and hose, put compost in a pair of panty hose (tied them off at the top with a rubber band),and just let it bubble for a few days. The cost was almost nothing and it was great stuff. I covered the top of the bucket, because the first time I made it I found a squirrel had drowned in the tea, I felt so bad. I strained it and applied it with my watering can. Marvelous results !
I never thought to add worm castings,I'll add some this time.

Davidmk, I just went to the website you posted, that's exactly what I did.

dguimo,

That is too funny! I was reading your first post and wondering since it sounded as if were a condensed version of that site. You are very clever to have thought that up yourself.

David

I didn't think it up myself, did a lot of reading at different web sites and found so much info, I just condensed it and did my own thing. I learn so much on the web,love to go "exploring", never know what you'll find. I think horseshoe had something last year about making compost tea too.
Jacquie