Twice a week I celebrate the life of my plants through tea time, so pinky's up lovers. Curating a balanced diet full of all the right nutrients through amendments for promoting healthy living soil. When we say our soil is alive what we mean is that it is full of organic beneficial microbes and bacteria similar to lush outdoor fruitful environments. One way we can visually see the effects of living soil is within mycelium creation a fuzzy like substance that lives within your soil and on top of it, lending a hand to cute mushroom production.
You want organic living soil? Then organic farming is the way to go and compost teas are an absolute must. Making your own compost tea from things like worm castings can either be produced or pre-bought from companies like Vital Garden Supply who focus on organic nutrients and amendments. Compost teas can be fed through a water drench, soil mixture or through applying it as a dry amendment topically to your soil around the base of your plant. Your method of delivery affects the rate at what your plant consumes these nutrients. For immediate 24 hour delivery I suggest using a water drench and feeding directly into your soil beds twice a week. For boosting soil health for immediate transplants your plants can feed over time while your initial soil breaks down. For long-term care with application of once a month, I suggest topically applying through scratching in the amendments around the base of the plant as every time you water the compost teas will break slowly down with application of once every 2 week intervals.
Using compost teas is a great way to give your plants directly millions of beneficial microbes. Compost teas can be used twice a week providing a break from your regular nutrient schedule instead of just water.
Recipe For Creating Your Compost Vital Teas
Usage: Plant Drench
Time: 10 Minutes
What You Will Need:
5 Gallon Bucket
Water
Vital Gardens Compost Tea
Vital Gardens Fish Tea
Vital Gardens Hydrosol Liquid Micoriza
Measuring Cup For TBSP and Ounces
Aerator; Small Preferably Fish Tank Size
Cloth Sack
Steps:
1) Measuring out your Compost Tea 1 cup per 5 gallons, place within your cloth sack and hang inside your bucket filled with water.
2) Turn on your aerator to desired setting, make sure the tube ends are in the water, never submerge your device in water only the end of the tube. I usually turn my aerator on full-speed.
3) Let your compost tea mix for at minimum one hour to 24 hours
4) During your last hour mixing you will add in both the Soluble Micos and Fish Tea to your cloth bag.
5) Remove the tube after an hour and mix thoroughly.
6) Apply as a root drench as a your feed for the day.
7) Ideally we like to see a 10% runoff, if any water is excess on the ground wipe it up to avoid conditions that promote Powdery Mildew aka PM.