Worm Tea Recipe
Creating Nutrient-Rich Worm Compost Tea: A Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Preparing the Base
- Begin by filling a 5-gallon bucket with water. You can use rainwater or let tap water sit to allow the chlorine to evaporate. Chlorine can harm the helpful micro-organisms we're aiming to nurture.
- Using a bubbler, like an aquarium pump with an air stone, can speed up the removal of chlorine from the water. This reduces the time the water needs to stand.
Step 2: Adding Nutrition
- Add 2 oz of molasses to the water. The molasses acts as food for the micro-organisms in the tea. To avoid clogs in your air bubblers, dissolve the molasses in a small amount of hot water (about half a cup) before adding it to the bucket.
Step 3: Infusing Castings
- Gently place your Red Wiggler Worm Castings into the bucket containing the water and molasses mixture.
- If available, consider using a bubbler (aquarium pump and air stone) to improve aeration. This helps micro-organisms thrive.
Step 4: The Waiting Game
- Allow the water, molasses, and castings to bubble or soak for about 24 hours. If you're not using a bubbler, you can stir the mixture occasionally. Stirring won't harm the micro critters (microbes) and can be beneficial.
Step 5: Enhancing Microbe Growth
- The goal is to create conditions where beneficial microbes multiply exponentially. Worm castings are packed with "good" aerobic (oxygen-dependent) microbes that plants love. These are different from bad anaerobic microbes that can cause odors.
- Aeration, which includes agitation, circulation, and aeration, supports the growth, survival, and reproduction of beneficial microbes. This also helps keep bad "bugs" at bay.
Step 6: Time is of the Essence
- It's important to use the worm compost tea within 48 hours. Over time, the population of micro-organisms in the tea will peak and then decline. We want the tea to be biologically active with beneficial microbes like Bacillus subtilis.
- To make the most of the beneficial microorganisms you've nurtured, use the worm compost tea as soon as possible. This way, you'll maximize its effectiveness in supporting plant growth and health."