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

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

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!
Kathe

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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?

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

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.

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