Aerated compost tea is an infusion brewed
from water and compost under
controlled conditions to produce
a highly concentrated solution
of diverse beneficial microbes
and soluble plant nutrients.
The organisms include bacteria,
fungi, protozoa, and nematodes.
When applied to plant surfaces,
it can protect a plant from disease
and enhance growth. As a soil
drench it becomes an inoculant
to restore and rebuild the soil
microbiology. Premium aerated
compost tea is a living solution
and must be produced and handled
in a way that ensures it's effectiveness
at the point of delivery.
How we brew and handle Premium Aerated Compost Tea:
First we use a blend of extraction grade vermicompost*,
fungal wood chips and leaf compost that has been activated for
three days. We use well water heated to 65 degrees F for brewing compost tea which is an ideal temperature for microbes to quickly
tea which is an ideal temperature for microbes to quickly multiply during the 24 hour brewing period.
We feed the organisms using our house blend of compost tea nutrients which contain a wide variety of bacterial and fungal foods to encourage the greatest diversity of beneficial organisms.
When doing compost tea applications, once on the road, we continue supplying air to the compost tea so it stays aerobic and active until the very last customer of the day.
In addition to the 500 gallon tank we use for brewing and transporting compost tea, we carry a 50 gallon mixing tank for custom blending additional foliar nutrients and mycorrhizal inoculants into the tea for each site.
Many companies dilute their compost tea down 1:2 or even 1:4 with water. We use 100% pure vermicompost tea because we know that there is more to compost tea than the microbes. Research at Ohio State University has shown vermicompost to contain plant growth stimulators, growth hormones, enzymes, humic and fulvic acids, as well as a concentration of key nutrients that are extracted into the tea during the brew cycle. These substances do not reproduce during the brewing process like microbes. By using pure compost tea we are maintaining the potency and effectiveness of these key components.
*Vermicompost is made by compost worms (Eisenia fetida). Compost teas brewed with vermicompost have been shown to both promote plant growth and protect plants from disease.
