How and Why to Brew Compost Plant Teas
If you know someone who occasionally enjoys a cup of tea fortified with vitamins or medicinal herbs, you'll appreciate the analogy of teas created for your plants. Plant teas are like nourishing drinks designed for plants — not from them — and "brewed" with healthy plant growth and productivity in mind. With plant teas, you can support your garden through every stage of plant growth and enjoy the rewards come harvest time.
Plant teas feed your plants and enhance beneficial microbial activity in your soil.
Benefits of Plant Teas
Many different plant tea recipes exist, but most teas have a common purpose: to feed your plants and improve your soil. Plant teas provide plants with essential nutrients in an easily absorbed liquid form, and they promote beneficial microbial activity in your soil. Some recipes do this by providing carbohydrates, such as molasses for plants, to fuel beneficial soil microbes. Others add beneficial microorganisms to soil, and some plant tea recipes do both.
The symbiotic relationship between beneficial microorganisms and your plants benefits your garden in many ways. Improved microbial activity enhances the movement of water, nutrients and air through soil. Plus, it enhances nutrient availability and nutrient uptake by plant roots. With plant teas, you nourish your plants and optimize the soil environment to support robust plant growth and bigger yields.
Plant teas can target specific growth phases such as vegetative growth.
How to Make Plant Teas
If you're new to teas, start with trusted plant tea recipes developed by experts familiar with the crops you grow. Unlike teas for human consumption, plant teas aren't heated and steeped. The process is more akin to fermentation, and it's simple. All you need is your recipe ingredients, measuring units and a bucket or other container. An aerator to supply oxygen during the "brewing" process optimizes your results.
With Earth Juice plant tea recipes, use regular tap water for your tea base. Then combine ingredients for the recipe that supports your specific growing goal. With your initial ingredients prepared, aerate your tea for 12 to 48 hours for maximum potency and effectiveness. Primary plant teas can be used as stand-alone fertilizers for your plants. Use supplement plant teas as part of a complete fertilizer program.
The Earth Juice "Giant" Bloom tea recipe is an example of a primary tea providing support during the flowering stage. This time-proven recipe combines products from the Earth Juice Original Big 5 Line, including Earth Juice Bloom 0-3-2 with bloom-enhancing phosphorus and potassium and Earth Juice Grow 2-1-0 for vegetative support.
Along with other ingredients, this recipe also includes a kickstart from Earth Juice Xatalyst 0.03-0.01-0.10, Earth Juice Meta-K 0-0-5 liquid potassium and Earth Juice Microblast 0.4-0-1.3 liquid micronutrients. Earth Juice Hi-Brix Molasses For Plants Plant Food 0-0-1, Earth Juice Rainbow Mix Pro Grow 8-6-3, and Earth Juice Rainbow Mix Pro Bloom 2-14-2 contribute NPK, mycorrhizae & beneficial soil microbes to round out this plant tea.
Plant teas support soil health and plant growth from seedlings to harvest.
How to Use Plant Teas
As your plants move through the stages of plant growth, your tea recipes should support their changing needs. Like the full line of Earth Juice fertilizers, both primary and supplement teas can target specific growth phases. For example, Earth Juice "Giant" Grow tea recipe promotes aggressive stem and leaf growth during the vegetative stage. Another recipe may incorporate ingredients to promote budding and flowering or help prevent nutrient deficiencies.
Most plant teas are ideal for hand-feeding your plants. Some teas should be used at full strength, while others should be diluted. So always follow your recipe's instructions. Be sure to follow guidelines for storage, too. Most plant teas should be stored in cool areas away from direct sunlight and used within a few days after brewing.
With Earth Juice products and recipes, you and your plants can enjoy all the benefits of plant teas and high-quality plant nutrients. We've been helping gardeners and growers enhance plant performance and productivity for 30 years. Let Earth Juice help you give your fruits and vegetables the best nutrients — and enjoy the rewards they bring.
Always read product labels and plant tea recipes thoroughly and follow instructions, including dilution rates and recommended feeding frequency for your plant phase and feeding method.TEA RECIPES
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PRIMARY PLANT TEAS
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SUPPLEMENT PLANT TEAS