How to Make Compost Tea: Passive and Aerated Brewing Methods

Compost tea—liquid fertilizer brewed from compost—has centuries of use as a natural garden tonic. Two fundamental methods exist: passive and aerated.

Passive Compost Tea (Simple, Traditional)

Soak compost-filled "tea bags" in water for 2 weeks. Resulting liquid fertilizes plants.

Recipe: 5:1 water:compost ratio. Non-chlorinated water preferred (rainwater ideal; let tap water sit 24+ hours). Place compost in burlap sack, suspend in 5-gallon bucket. Steep 2 weeks, stirring daily/every other day. Remove bag, apply liquid.

Aerated Compost Tea (Faster, More Complex)

Adds kelp, fish hydrolysate, humic acid. Requires air/water pumps—higher cost but ready in days, not weeks.

DIY system: 5-gallon bucket/tank, pump, tubing. Compost loose in water (strain later) or in burlap/pantyhose. Stir several times daily for 2-3 days.

Commercial brewers available. Pre-brewed tea sometimes sold at garden centers.