# A Basic Compost Tea Guide



## Outkast Seeds (Feb 7, 2008)

What is a Compost Tea?

A Compost tea is an aerobically-brewed liquid extract made from quality microbial foods. When a tea is brewed correctly, it contains only beneficial organisms and nutrients that are essential for the soil and plants well being. Since MJ is normally a nutrient hog this is one of the most effective delivery systems available to us. It can be applied in several ways. I will address this later in the article.

Benefits of using an aerobically brewed tea are:

1. It improves soil structure.

2. It helps aid in retention of nutrients.

3. Aids in the cycling of nutrients into available forms.

4. Reduces plant stress due to environmental conditions.

5. Disease organisms are displaced by the good organisms contained in the
tea.

6. Has the ability to break down compacted soils with repeated uses.

7. Prevents anaerobic (bad bacteria) organisms from gaining a foot hold in
your soil.

8. Compost tea replaces micro-biology back into the soil that we have
removed because of our over-development and chemical applied
nutrient and herbicides.

9. When applied as a foliar spray it covers the plant surfaces and prevents
harmful material from reaching the plant, including disease organisms. It
will increase the time the stoma are open and allow foliar nutrients to
be absorbed into the leaves.


10. When applied to the soil, it will improve the soil structure, increase
nutrient uptake, break down pollutants and reduces water use.

What is needed to make a Compost Tea?

Compost tea is made with different ingredients, depending on your brewing method and ingredients available to you. Minerals, food sources, and humic acids are added to sustain the growing population of micro-organisms.
A quick over view of the materials:

Seaweed- Supplies all the extra trace elements. Seaweed can contain up to 70 trace elements and lots of growth hormones. Seaweed is a beneficial fungal food source for soil microbes. I prefer to use liquid seaweed.

Compost- this supplies most of the beneficial aerobic organisms (the good guys) and soluble nutrients. Worm castings are your best bet here. Guanos and manures fall into this category. You can either use them separate or together.

Unsulphered Molasses- this feeds and breeds the aerobic bacteria. Sugar products are mostly carbon which is what the micro-herd consume quickly. To extend the life of your tea, add a little more molasses. Besides feeding the micro-herd, molasses supplies a good amount of minerals also. Sulfur being one of them which acts as a natural fungicide. Molasses is also a natural deodorizer for your tea. For a more fungal tea add less molasses to your aerobic tea. You can use more complex sugars, starches and carbohydrates like seaweed, rotten fruit, soy sauce or other fungal foods. Molasses substitutes are brown sugar and corn syrup.

Alfalfa meal, corn meal, cattle food, horse feed and fish feed- these will supply extra proteins and bacteria. Corn meal is a natural fungicide and supplies food for the beneficial fungi in the soil.
Good old garden soil is an excellent free bio-stimulant- Garden soils are full of beneficial aerobic bacteria, fungi and other great microbes. An even better one would be Forest soil, sometimes known as Forest humus.


You can expect different microbial population levels in your tea based on weather, climate, temperature, seasons, etc. In the summertime you can expect your teas to brew faster and get to your optimal microbial levels faster than in cooler fall weather. Also tea odors, color, and foaminess on top of the tea, will vary based on temperatures too.

Here is a list of materials you will need:

1. 1 or 5 gallon container, I use a 5 gallon bucket.

2. Fish tank pump and an air stone.

3. A pair of old socks or a # 2 panty hose.

4. Some type of measuring deviceTablespoon and Measuring cup ( one
that reads ml or ounces).

5. Quality compost and liquid additives.

Once you have gathered all of your usable materials you are ready to begin. First, take and fill the container of choice up. Let it bubble for 48 hours to ensure that all the chlorine is burned off. I call this tepid water. Once this procedure is complete you are ready to add your organic material. Take your sock and place in what materials you choose to use. Place the sock with the organic material in the container and agitate it vigorously. After about 24 hours you will see foam start to form at the top of the solution. This will let you know that the micro-population of beneficial bacteria are starting to breed. Continue to brew for another 24 hours. Once this process is complete you will have an excellent foliar feed or a soil drench.

Here is a basic tea recipe:

Guano Tea and Kelp:

Seedlings less than 1 month old nutrient tea mix-
5 TBS. Black Strap Molasses
1-cup earthworm castings/5 gallons of water every 3rd watering

Vegetative mix-
1/3 cup Peruvian Seabird Guano (PSG)
1/3 cup High N Bat Guano (Mexican)
1/3 cup Earth Worm Castings (EWC)
5 TBS. Maxi-crop 1-0-4 powdered kelp extract
5 TBS. Liquid Karma (optional)
5 TBS. Black Strap Molasses
@ 1-cup mix/5 gallons of water every 3rd watering.

Flowering nutrient tea mix:
2/3 cup Peruvian Seabird Guano
2/3 cup Earth Worm Castings
2/3 cup High P Guano (Indonesian or Jamaican)
5 TBS. Maxi-crop 1-0-4 powdered kelp extract or Liquid
5 TBS. Black Strap Molasses

Dilute as needed. Generally, 2 to 3 cups per 5 gallons of water @ every watering.

Each mix is unique. Use your better judgment on the amounts and the ingredients. Remember, your tea can be as versatile as you wish it to be. Be creative. Your plants will love you for it.


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## lil' miss left hand side (Mar 12, 2008)

I made your fabulous tea and its working great! i do have one question, my tea is starting to go pale and it is no longer foaming on the top. i'm pretty sure this means that the micro-organisms have stopped breeding. so should i putt some more materials in it? like molasses and worm castings and put the air stone back in? will this bring life back to my tea or is it stuffed?


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## inbudwetrust (Dec 6, 2008)

so can you just use like a worm casting compost tea in addition to other nutrients. or do you use teas alone


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## greenleafhigh (Dec 7, 2008)

I love compost tea!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## inbudwetrust (Dec 7, 2008)

how do you use it


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## meluvyoulongtime (Dec 8, 2008)

thanks! ill have to try this.


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## GreenShadows (Aug 16, 2009)

Thanks for sharing your recipe.


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## somebody041 (Aug 16, 2009)

shamelessly stolen and no credit to the original author?

tsk tsk Outkast Seeds


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## pacman (Aug 16, 2009)

inbudwetrust said:


> so can you just use like a worm casting compost tea in addition to other nutrients. or do you use teas alone


add it to a nutrient or use it alone, I've done both and l love the combo of the guano, castings, and seaweed. It also helps on nutrient costs, cause a bucket of guano goes a long way


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## sam75 (Aug 17, 2009)

somebody041 said:


> shamelessly stolen and no credit to the original author?
> 
> tsk tsk Outkast Seeds


I agree, a guy at the thcfarmer forums deserves the credit, his name is Guano. I have been using his all organic teas instead of buying Earth Juice for a little while now with great results. Frankly, I got tired of running to the hydro shop every month or so to buy more bottles of stuff. But it is Guano's genius that deserves the credit here. 

http://www.thcfarmer.com/forums/f31/whats-your-favorite-organic-tea-brew-recipe-757/index3.html


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## MJstudent (Jan 25, 2012)

sam75 said:


> I agree, a guy at the thcfarmer forums deserves the credit, his name is Guano. I have been using his all organic teas instead of buying Earth Juice for a little while now with great results. Frankly, I got tired of running to the hydro shop every month or so to buy more bottles of stuff. But it is Guano's genius that deserves the credit here.
> 
> http://www.thcfarmer.com/forums/f31/whats-your-favorite-organic-tea-brew-recipe-757/index3.html


sorry to bring back an old post but i was readin this and GUANO deserves no credit, he wrote his post on thc farmer 7 months after outkastseeds.


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## personified (Jan 25, 2012)

Your all wrong! I created Guanos and Compost it is my recipe!! Some actually say I may be full of Guano  
Sorry I do not have time to discuss this I need to go make more guano as we speak!!


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## Cheebaca (Jan 27, 2012)

Nice post man, good information and solid brews.


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## THunderC (Jan 29, 2012)

Hey, quick question. I'm just a bit confused with the application of the "Veg Recipe".

I question it because it seems very diluted. The way it reads is that you brew the ingredients in 5 gallons of water then apply it as fertilizer 1 cup tea to 5 gallons water.

Perhaps this is accurate and the tea must be diluted that much or maybe I am reading it wrong. 

Any clarification would be much appreciated. 

Thanks.


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## scroglodyte (Jan 29, 2012)

my worms are my partners in my gardens. junk mail, to compost, to cannabis........the circle of life....lol


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## THunderC (Jan 29, 2012)

Right on man. Thanks for those noble words of wisdom. 

Anyone else have a more direct response?


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## dirrtyd (Jan 30, 2012)

Here is the correct article and the truth these recipes were written in 2007 accorcing to this post. LC's mixes. https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=53792


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## MJstudent (Jan 30, 2012)

teas are the greatest thing ive found in the world of plant growing. havnt given anything but fresh water and compost tea and haven't had a single deficiency or malnourished plant.


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## Senseimilla (Feb 12, 2012)

Compost teas go back to the OG/CW days and I'm sure earlier. Everyone builds off of what others did before them and tweaks them. It's the way of the world. Always good to give credit where ya got stuff from though when possible.


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## personified (Feb 14, 2012)

I invented the internet and Al Gore took credit!! I hate it when that happens!!


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## kush groove (Feb 14, 2012)

personified said:


> I invented the internet and Al Gore took credit!! I hate it when that happens!!


friggin al gore...what a dick
even though steve jobs is dead, im still pissed he didnt give me credit for the iphone idea we talked about 15 years ago


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## dante76 (Feb 14, 2012)

Outkast seeds - just wondering what your take is on putting guano in a brewing tea....first time i tried this...it stunk really bad. I'd rather top dress or mix it in water for feeding.

Does brewing it break the nutes down any faster? just wondering what the benefit of brewing it would be...this stuff is rather toxic to be around.


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## Senseimilla (Feb 14, 2012)

You can do it either way Dante. A tea basically makes it immediately available to plants in the form they want. Topdressing or amending the soil means the bacteria in the soil have to break it down for the plant to get to it, which takes time, especially with pelletized guano. To get it to be more readily available in soil to the plants you can premix the soil and let it sit for a few weeks so it gets broken down some before the plant gets in the soil.


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## bud man jay (May 30, 2012)

I agree I make my own tea and love it. I stop my fertilizer nutes a couple weeks before harvest and just feed tea instead of plain ph'd water. I dilute the tea 1:4 ratio. It severs as a good flush while feeding still. Buds come out real frosty, clean and tasty. I water fert, tea, fert, tea throught my harvest until two weeks left then its tea tea tea and chop. I loveeee tea!!!!!!!!


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## Adrosmokin (Jan 31, 2013)

THunderC said:


> Hey, quick question. I'm just a bit confused with the application of the "Veg Recipe".
> 
> I question it because it seems very diluted. The way it reads is that you brew the ingredients in 5 gallons of water then apply it as fertilizer 1 cup tea to 5 gallons water.
> 
> ...


I was confused at first also. I think its talking about the "dry" ingredients, the Earthworm Castings and the Guanos. I'm still a newbie, but I've read that you can premix the "dry" ingredients. So in the Veg recipe it says one cup, he's just adding 1/3c + 1/3c + 1/3c = 1c. Same goes for the Flowering, 2/3c + 2/3c + 2/3c = 2c, assuming it just says 2-3c in case of heavy feeders.


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## dante76 (Jan 31, 2013)

After u brew it u can apply it full strength or stretch it a little. One cup of full strength brew is a little weak if u ask me but it all depends on how many plants u r feeding. I would start with filling another 5gal bucket or jug with one gal of brew and fill it back up with 4 gal of RO water. That'll make it about 1/4 strength but u can go full strength as long u r in veg or bloom. Don't give full strength to new seedlings or rooting clones


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## moghazy (Jul 23, 2013)

Hello guys, I'm about to plant my first seed of Northern Lights and i'm figuring out what nute to use.. It seems like Organic is way better than N-P-K if i'm getting that right.
I can't get good % of N-P-K in here all i found was 20-20-20 (Could be used for veg) and 10-50-10 (Could be used for flowering but not the best thing ever..)

I can put hands on Organic compost but its hard to figure out the ingredients exactly as posted here, so i can't really calculate how much of each i'm using!. So, can plants like.. overdose on Compost tea ?, can i use the same tea for vegging and flowering? since idk the components and i won't be able to balance it :S

Can i use both N-P-K and compost tea?, Please someone feed me some info about the issue. Would be wayyyyy appreciated. I'm frustrated and don't want to get started on my seed untill i have a full plan in-front of me. I will be building soil of Compost + Peatmoss + Vermiculite.


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## panooq (Jul 29, 2013)

oh noes, it's a marijuana plant.  

maybe try a tomato plant or something to make sure you got it right?


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## farmerman421 (Sep 15, 2013)

I have had problems with pH. Is there a correct starting pH for the tea? What should happen to the pH as the tea brews? Should it ever be adjusted?


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## dante76 (Sep 16, 2013)

farmerman421 said:


> I have had problems with pH. Is there a correct starting pH for the tea? What should happen to the pH as the tea brews? Should it ever be adjusted?


Yes adjust ph. A lot of organic gardeners don't bother ph'ing but if your using inorganic fertizers like myself and using coco, it's best to ph everything. The most important thing is that your medium has the correct ph throughout the grow cycle


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## dante76 (Sep 16, 2013)

moghazy said:


> Hello guys, I'm about to plant my first seed of Northern Lights and i'm figuring out what nute to use.. It seems like Organic is way better than N-P-K if i'm getting that right.
> I can't get good % of N-P-K in here all i found was 20-20-20 (Could be used for veg) and 10-50-10 (Could be used for flowering but not the best thing ever..)
> 
> I can put hands on Organic compost but its hard to figure out the ingredients exactly as posted here, so i can't really calculate how much of each i'm using!. So, can plants like.. overdose on Compost tea ?, can i use the same tea for vegging and flowering? since idk the components and i won't be able to balance it :S
> ...


Just so u know NPK is not a type of fertilizer. It refers to the concentration of Nitrogen (
N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K). Compost teas use beneficial bacteria to break down nutrients faster so more is available for the plant to use.


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## fayo420 (May 17, 2015)

Well forgive me y'all, but all of you are incorrect...
 
My grandmother and great grandmother etc have used this same recipe with slight variation, past down, as they where all farmers. So, no disrespect here but they deserve credit. Yes...
Anyway, I know its a respect thing etc but several forums I've been on here, convos seems to quickly turn into an argument.
Why? Really who cares who put what in print, are we not here to collaborate and learn from one another?

Attack the process not the people I say.

Anyway, this recipe is different from what I use, I think I may try it. So thank you...


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## Dr. Who (May 18, 2015)

Wowser! You use these full strength? That is a hot tea, full strength!


I wouldn't call this a "Basic" AACT tea either! This is a complex FERT tea.....The things IN it will suppress Bio's counts too....Like the Kelp will by 30+%!

A "BASIC" AACT tea would be a Bio tea and go like this:

1Cup EWC
1/3 cup Alfalfa meal
1/3 cup Molasses

You can make teas from almost anything!
Farm waste's
Pee (yes piss, 3 day run,,,,fast acting N booster) you do it 1 to 3 pee to water
grass clippings
the list goes on......

Doc


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## estee (Jul 9, 2015)

Dr. Who said:


> Wowser! You use these full strength? That is a hot tea, full strength!
> 
> 
> I wouldn't call this a "Basic" AACT tea either! This is a complex FERT tea.....The things IN it will suppress Bio's counts too....Like the Kelp will by 30+%!
> ...


I've used pee on my plant that had a nitrogen def and it looked amazing three days later, for those people that think this is nasty, think about it, you're adding bat shit, blood meal, bone meal , and cow shit to the mix so don't frown on a little piss that comes from within you, I love to become one with my plant and she loves it


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## Dr. Who (Jul 10, 2015)

estee said:


> I've used pee on my plant that had a nitrogen def and it looked amazing three days later, for those people that think this is nasty, think about it, you're adding bat shit, blood meal, bone meal , and cow shit to the mix so don't frown on a little piss that comes from within you, I love to become one with my plant and she loves it


I helped neighbors who have no $ for nutes and grow.....I've shown them how to make Nutrient or feed teas from things around the farm....Old chicken manure, Piss, yard clippings, compost, the list goes on and on! 
Stinging nettle makes a good N nute tea.

I gave them for Christmas, every Mother Earth News ever done on Disk,,,,,I have happy _friends _now!

Doc


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## Crazyavtech (Apr 19, 2016)

Can i leave out the Maxi-crop 1-0-4 powdered kelp extract seeing I'm out or is it a must need ?


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## GoRealUhGro (Apr 19, 2016)

When you touch the foam that comes to the top on ur tea does it all start rapidly Going away...mine always has..I try not to touch any of it...I usually like to squeeze my pantie hose to get some of the shit I have in it moving around ..but even if I take it outa the water and squeeze it as soon as it hits the water it goes from a fomie mess to just some dark tea bubbling....it comes back but it never seems to be as good as it was


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## old shol4evr (Apr 20, 2016)

GoRealUhGro said:


> When you touch the foam that comes to the top on ur tea does it all start rapidly Going away...mine always has..I try not to touch any of it...I usually like to squeeze my pantie hose to get some of the shit I have in it moving around ..but even if I take it outa the water and squeeze it as soon as it hits the water it goes from a fomie mess to just some dark tea bubbling....it comes back but it never seems to be as good as it was


foam will disappear when wind hits it,i keep my 18 gal tote closed,if my girls need 3 gal of feed,i put 2gal of water and then use ppm meter to get my 900ppm and feed,sometimes i have to add a little more water,but when you open container your using and have a good slight brown head your good


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## Crazyavtech (Apr 21, 2016)

Crazyavtech said:


> Can i leave out the Maxi-crop 1-0-4 powdered kelp extract seeing I'm out or is it a must need ?


Ok i got the seaweed now i have one more question what would be the recipe for a 1 gallon batch and how much would i dilute it i figured i would mix the 1 gallon with 15 gallons of water would that be right?


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## Johnei (Jun 27, 2017)

bump. post#1 good info.


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