Compost

Bucket-Fermentation Method
“Passive” compost tea is prepared by immersing a burlap sack filled with compost into a bucket or tank, stirring occassionally. Usually the brew time is longer, from 7 to 10 days. This is the method that dates back hundreds of years in Europe, and is more akin to a compost watery extract than a “brewed” and aerated compost tea.

Building on the concept of compost teas as a liquid organic extract, what are some other common organic extracts used as a liquid drench or foliar spray?

Manure Tea
Manure-based extracts—a soluble nutrient source made from raw animal manure soaked in water. For all practical purposes, manure tea is prepared in the same way as the compost extracts described in the preceding section. The manure is placed in a burlap sack and suspended in a barrel of water for 7 to 14 days. The primary benefit of the tea will be a supply of soluble nutrients, which can be used as a liquid fertilizer.

Common terminology and practices associated with compost teas.

Compost Leachate
Compost windrow leachate — the dark-colored solution that leaches out of the bottom of the compost pile — most likely will be rich in soluble nutrients; but, in the early stage of composting it may also contain pathogens. It would be viewed as a pollution source if allowed to run off-site. Compost leachate needs further bioremediation and is not suitable or recommended as a foliar spray.

What is compost

Compost is the end product of the decomposition of organic matter. Well-made compost is a rich, black, sweet-smelling, crumbly, soil-like substance rich in nutrients and organic matter. Compost is magic plant food for both gardener and farmer alike. And compost is full of microorganisms that are beneficial to soils.