Compost Tea

We need to build soil and adding compost tea seems to be a good way to do this, so that's what I'm about to embark on.
- I bought a 200L blue drum (food grade) for brewing the tea. Bought it for $25 off ebay
- Air pump. From my research needs to be at least 40L/min. Bought an electromagnetic one off ebay for about $60. I wanted to buy the Nitto Medo L60B like Richard Perkins uses at Ridgedale Permaculture but they cost over $300, so will only do that if I find the cheaper ones don't work.
- You need to strain the compost tea before applying it. According to Elaine Ingham a paint strainer is best but must be 400 microns to allow the microbes and fungi to get through (you can get finer paint strainers but they are going to filter out the fungi so this is an important thing to check)
- Currently investigating sprayers (again must have a nozzle 400 microns at least)...
- Clean equipment (e.g. sprayer/watering can/drum) after use. You can use hydrogen peroxide, bleach, or any other anti-microbial cleaner.
- Dilute the tea 5:1 rainwater:tea
- To keep your air pump from getting wet, place it 2 or 3 feet from the bucket. Its also good to put the pump either higher than your bucket or for your air hose to rise above the bucket a few inches to keep from getting tea back into the pump.
- When you finish brewing your compost tea, it should have an earthy smell. If it stinks, it means it didn’t get enough oxygen, and anaerobic bacteria took over.
- Several days before brewing your tea, mix some fungi food (like powdered oatmeal) into 1/2 gallon of moist compost, cover it, then store in a warm, dark place. When you are ready to brew your tea, your compost will be covered with strands of fungi. This will inoculate your tea with beneficial fungi.
- Use all the tea within a day

Tools and Materials Required
- Hydrogen peroxide for cleaning - TOBUY
- Long handled brush for cleaning the drum- TOBUY
- Sprayer- TOBUY
- Pump - Bought
- Paint strainers - Bought
- Drum - Bought

Ingredients required
- compost
- NO Molasses (Elaine Ingham does not recommend molasses)
- fish hydrolysate
- kelp meal

See Elaine Ingham's recipe.