Compost Tea

[Harvey L.]

Why can't you make compost tea in plastic buckets? :?:

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

I make mine in a Rubbermaid bin. I haven't had it tested but it seems to do all the right things.

[Kathe Kitchens]

Okay, I'll bite...Why can't you make compost tea in plastic buckets?

Better yet, where did you get this little black pearl of wisdom? I have made compost tea in old milk jugs for years. It works just fine. I have also made it in big 2 gallon old plastic tea pitchers. The only thing I can figure out is that someone gave you bad advice or maybe you tried to make compost tea and you closed the lid and made it airtight? That would make a mess, for sure. :?

So give us more info and we'll try to help! :D
Kathe

[Gar]

I make my tea in a 5 gallon plastic bucket. It seems to work just fine. I put air in mine for about 30 minutes before it goes into the sprayer. So yes, plastic is fine to use to make you compost tea.

[nina norman]

I'm curious to know where this info comes from too cuz I found my info from the dirt doctors website under homemade recipes: " Here's how to make compost tea at home. Use any container but a plastic bucket is easy for the homeowner." I used a bag of mushroom compost and split it between three huge trash cans and filled with water, steeped in the texas sun with a stir every chance I got then diluted and foliar fed everything I could get to and even drenced the soil with it. :) Sure made my plants happy! :)

Nina

[jrosto]

The editing just missed a comma. It should read:

Use any container, but a plastic bucket is easy for the homeowner. Fill the 5-15 gallon bucket half full of compost and finish filling with water.

[Harvey L]

I got the information from this web site, but the previous post explained it for me. The comma was not in the right place. Yet, I should have did a better job of comprehending what I was reading. It did not make sense to me.

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=152 :idea: :?

[wr]

what do you put in your compost tea? I what to make some but not sure what is all needed :?: :?:

[Gar]

wr,
To make my compost tea I take a pair of old panty hose, that my wife has donated and cut off one leg. I stuff it with compost, from the bin, dried molasses, and fresh sea weed. I tie the top and put it in a 5 gallon bucket of water for three days. After the brewing time is up, I take the sock out and tie it up to the compost bin to dry. About 30 - 45 minutes prior to using, I put in my pump to add air to the mixture. When the time is up, I strain it while adding to the pump up sprayer. I fill the jug about half full and the remainder with water. It is amazing how much better the plants, flowers and trees do after each application. Sometimes I will apply the tea twice a week.
I don't add manure to my compost because I have not located a source to acquire it yet.
Hope this helps.
Good luck with your compost tea making adventure.
Your garden, plants and trees with thank you for the delicious treat.

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

I put about 10 gallons of tap water in my 18-gallon Rubbermaid bin along with 50 drops of aquarium dechlorinator. Then I turn on my aquarium air pump to help blow out the chlorine. After a few hours I toss in a gallon of compost (no nets or bags), 5 ounces of liquid seaweed, two ounces of crushed basalt, and if the temperature is below 70 degrees F, 5 ounces of molasses. If the temp is above 70, I leave the molasses out altogether. I also stir it hard every time I pass by to keep it agitated. Twenty-four hours later it is ready to use.

To use it I turn off the air pump and let the compost settle for 3 hours. Then to remove the tea from the brewer I have a gallon bottle that I stretch a couple layers of pantyhose over and dip it into the tea to fill.

A very good tip I got recently was to strain the compost going into the tea so you don't have to strain it coming out. You have to have a pretty good size nozzle for spraying to do this, though. And it gets screened pretty small going in.

[Gar]

Way to go Dave. Sounds like you got some pretty good compost tea there.

[dav]

I have some 15 gal plastic barrels. I was going to put a valve in the top, turn it over, cut a opening on the bottom, have it on a stand so you could open the valve to fill my can. Is that alittle to much? Would anybody be interested in a set up like that?

[dustoff79]

sounds like a great idea, do not forget to add the air stone or whatever device you want to aerate the mix.

[micoak]

Dchall_San_Antonio wrote: I put about 10 gallons of tap water in my 18-gallon Rubbermaid bin along with 50 drops of aquarium dechlorinator. Then I turn on my aquarium air pump to help blow out the chlorine. After a few hours I toss in a gallon of compost (no nets or bags), 5 ounces of liquid seaweed, two ounces of crushed basalt, and if the temperature is below 70 degrees F, 5 ounces of molasses. If the temp is above 70, I leave the molasses out altogether. I also stir it hard every time I pass by to keep it agitated. Twenty-four hours later it is ready to use.


David, please pardon my ignorance, but why do you not add molasses to the mix if the temperature is over 70F? I don't understand what the temperature has to do with it. :?

Thanks.

[wr]

I been trying my own brew with blood meal, molasses and compass that is from goat manure. It look and smell OK seem to work good. I mix my in a 5 gal. plastic bucket. wayne