What Is Compost Tea?

A new concept in organic gardening and farming, compost tea is an aerobic water solution containing the extracted microbe population from compost, along with other nutrients. An organic approach to soil and plant care, this process increases the numbers of beneficial organisms and collects them in a concentrated solution. You can use activated worm tea directly on plants, and to revitalize soils that have been abused following prolonged use of chemical fertilizers. Beneficial activated worm tea re-introduces healthy culture back into soils. Activated worm tea can be brewed as bacterially dominant for use directly on plants or into neglected soils to begin a healthy organic renewal process.

ATO 5-Gallon Tea Brewer

The ATO Tea Brewer infuses the water with air. This process keeps the water oxygenated, which favours the beneficial bacteria and fungi over pathogens such as e-coli. At the end of the brewing cycle, you end up with a concentrated liquid full of billions of micro-organisms, including bacteria, fungi, protozoa and nematodes, which can then be sprayed directly onto the leaf surface of your house and garden plants. This additive boosts plant health and helps your plants fend off potential diseases. The oxygenated tea occupies the infection sites on the leaf surface and is held there by simple sugars that the plant exudes, which work as a glue to keep the beneficial micro-organisms thriving and protecting the plant.

Active, aerated worm tea provides major benefits to soil, adding beneficial health organisms, minerals, and other organic properties. Some farms - and even golf course - that have been using chemical fertilizer & pesticides for generations are now switching to oxygenated worm tea to revitalize the soil column, infusing it with microbial life.

You can also make another type of compost tea with a brewing method. For more information, consult our How To section. To learn more about how to brew compost tea using the ATO 5-Gallon Tea Brewer, including frequently asked questions (FAQs) and application instructions, please visit the ATO 5-Gallon Compost Tea Brewer portion of our How To Section.

Bacterially dominant tea derives from high-value compost -- specifically worm castings. Fungally dominant worm tea derives from high value compost along with composted wood waste or leaf litter. Woody litter is typically found on the forest floor as decaying matter, which feeds the roots of trees.