What is Worm Tea?
Worm tea is worm compost / worm castings / vermicast that has been soaked in water long enough for the incredible nutrients and beneficial bacteria to become water soluble.
How is Worm Tea Made?
Worm tea is typically made with the use of three primary ingredients:
- worm castings
- water
- sugar (most commonly in the form of molasses)
The standard method for making worm tea is fairly straight-forward:
- Fill a 5 gallon bucket about 3/4 full with water.
Rainwater is preferred for this purpose, but if you are using tap water, fill the container and allow it to stand for 24 hours before continuing to allow the chlorine to evaporate. - Fill a sock or stocking with worm castings and tie it off.
This is your worm tea bag, and will be removed when your tea is ready. - Pour 2 Tablespoons of molasses on the worm tea bag and add it to the bucket of water.
- Use an old aquarium pump to add oxygen to the water.
The beneficial bacteria that are so plentiful in worm castings will not survive long if the water is not well-oxygenated. While it is possible to get some benefit from worm tea made without an oxygen pump in the water, it will not be nearly as potent.
See also: Worm Composting with the Worm Factory from Nature’s Footprint
{ 0 comments… add one now }