Using home brewed compost tea is a simple organic way to feed your plants the nutrients they need. I like to steep the tea with an aerator for at least a week per batch. This provides a concentrated fertilizer for the garden.
I use one quart per 4 gallons of water for my regular feeding which is once per week. The easiest way to mix it is to pour the quart of tea into a 5 gallon pail, then simply add water until it is 2-3 inches from the top.
To apply, you have two options. The best is to spray the plants with the mix. The leaves will absorb the nutrients faster than the roots. However, be sure not to apply when the hot sun is beating on the plants so the leaves do not burn. You also can just water through the roots. This is how I typically do it due to the fact that my garden is in the sun all day or I will spray on a cloudy day.
Apply the tea mixture about once per week to keep plants strong and growing. Be sure to aerate the tea or use it fairly soon as the microbes need oxygen to survive. Using stagnant tea can actually cause damage to plants. The easiest way to tell is by smelling the tea. It should smell earthy but not rotten. If it smells rotten do not use it. Best of luck to you in your gardening.
Remember, Mother Earth smiles when you garden!
