Making Tea

I keep hearing about people making compost tea, or seaweed tea, or whatever kind of tea. How exactly do you go about making it? What are the benefits? Do you just boil up some water and toss in some guano and sucunat?

Search 'compost tea' in the organics sub forum and settle in for a bunch of reading.

Wet

try youtube out as well. heres sum vids

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0en00_CSM4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCbeALuAYsg&feature=related

Thanks those videos were exactly what I needed.

Okay new question. Compost basically is soil, right? So could I make tea out of miracle grow organic choice potting mix?

jebus2029 said:

Okay new question. Compost basically is soil, right? So could I make tea out of miracle grow organic choice potting mix?

Click to expand...

I wouldn't do that. There are slow release chemicals in there. It would be hard to know exactly what you would be feeding the plants.
Any manure or compost would be much better.

Are there chemicals? Is the organic title just a ploy? I saw black cow compost and mushroom compost. Should I go with one of these? I do want to stay away from chemicals. Although I guess it may already be in the soil.

i'd go for the cow compost. u could mix in other stuff as well, like liquid kelp or fish blend stuff. just look for the organic compost.

I've got know chose but to hope that the organic labeling is correct or at least better than know chemicals. My current grow I ordered Kelp, humic acid, bat guano etc on ebay. It really was not that expensive. Earthworm castings are great and vermicasting is easy way to make your compost just about any where.

I got black kow composted manure. I'm also going to be using this for my vegetable garden. Should I add anything else to the tea? I have sucunat. I can also put a lid on the container with an air pump and an air lock. So bugs might not be a problem. I also have fox farm's grow big, tiger bloom, and big bloom. Should I add any of these? I also have high phosphorous bat guano. Any recommendations?

jebus2029 said:

I got black kow composted manure. I'm also going to be using this for my vegetable garden. Should I add anything else to the tea? I have sucunat. I can also put a lid on the container with an air pump and an air lock. So bugs might not be a problem. I also have fox farm's grow big, tiger bloom, and big bloom. Should I add any of these? I also have high phosphorous bat guano. Any recommendations?

Click to expand...

ya for veg=higher nitrogen%, flowering=higher phosphorus%. do use an air stone or water pump to aerate ur tea tho. and adding molasses to it feeds the aerobic bacteria(good bacteria).

the sucunat sounds good. A lot of people use fox farm and love it. I've not used any mixes like that. I use a little composted cow manure along with other manures and meals. The fish ferts are great as stated above.

It needs to be continuously exposed to fresh air correct? So if I use it as a foliar spray I need to empty the spray bottle back into the big tub when I am done correct? Otherwise it will begin to stink and rot in the bottle? Could I make tea and store it in the fridge? I don't use very much so one batch should last me awhile. Just wondering if I need to keep it brewing indefinitely.

jebus2029 said:

It needs to be continuously exposed to fresh air correct? So if I use it as a foliar spray I need to empty the spray bottle back into the big tub when I am done correct? Otherwise it will begin to stink and rot in the bottle? Could I make tea and store it in the fridge? I don't use very much so one batch should last me awhile. Just wondering if I need to keep it brewing indefinitely.

Click to expand...

right ur on the right track. you want to try and use the tea as soon as it is aerated, the longer it sits the more food and oxygen u need to give the good bacteria to stay alive.just brew up a batch a couple days ahead when u know u'll be watering them. i almost always have some brewing because wat i dont use on the MJ goes to my veggies in the raised beds.

Okay that's what I needed to know. I'll be using mine the same way. I am just starting a garden and will use the extra for that. I'll have to figure something out about water. I was using RO water from the store but if I'm brewing up a couple of gallons at a time that won't be feasible. Especially since it's a 25 minute drive to the store.

For my tea I used a couple scoops of composted cow manure, a light dose of fox farms grow big and big bloom, and some sucunat. I put it in about 4 gallins of water and have an air pump mixing the water. I'm going to feed them tomorrow night when the lights come on and also do a foliar feeding.

How often can I give them compost tea? Every couple of days, or should I spread it out more. If it is every couple of days could I keep a constant brew of compost tea? Just add more compost or water as needed?

Another question. One of my girls had a bad reaction to a foliar feeding of fox farm's grow big. She drooped bad, and everything started twisting on her. This was about a week ago. Her new growth is looking normal and healthy, but these leaves are fresh and small. So can I give her the compost tea? It has a weak dose of grow big mixed in with it. Should I water hers down? Should I avoid foliar spraying her for awhile, or would it be better for her to receive a foliar feeding?