How to Make Compost Tea

Brew life for your soil and plants

My Weekly Ritual

I try to make compost tea about once a week, especially during the growing season. It’s a quick and powerful way to feed the soil, boost plant immunity, and keep the microbiome thriving. Over time, this simple habit builds a rich, living soil that gives back tenfold.

What Is Compost Tea?

Compost tea is like a probiotic smoothie for your soil—a living liquid full of beneficial microbes that wake up your garden, support plant health, and improve nutrient cycling.

When you brew it right, you’re not just watering your plants. You’re seeding an entire living ecosystem.

What You’ll Need

Forest litter rich in mycelium (just under the top leaf layer) or aged compost
Clean, non-chlorinated water (well water or dechlorinated tap is fine)
A 5-gallon bucket or similar container (can always go bigger!)
Paint filter bags or mesh bag (your compost tea "tea bag")
Aquarium-style air pump + air stones
FPJ (Fermented Plant Juice)
LAB (Lactic Acid Bacteria serum)

Step-by-Step: Brew Your Tea

1. Harvest the Good Stuff

Go out and gather forest litter from a healthy, undisturbed spot. Look for material just below the top leaves where you'll see rich white mycelium threading through. That fibrous network is packed with microbial magic.

2. Bag It Up

Put a few handfuls of this forest duff into a paint filter bag or mesh bag. Tie it off to keep it contained.

3. Start the Brew

Fill your bucket with water, leaving a few inches at the top.

Drop in the bag of forest material. Add:

1–2 tbsp FPJ per gallon of water
1 tbsp LAB per gallon of water

These feed the microbes, waking them up and giving them the energy to multiply.

4. Add Air

Drop in your air stones and turn on the pump. You want active bubbling to keep the environment aerobic. This helps encourage beneficial microbes while keeping the nastier anaerobic ones out.

5. Let It Brew

Brew for 12 to 24 hours. Some go longer, but keep it under 36 hours unless you know your oxygen levels are staying high. You’ll see the water darken and smell earthy-sweet.

How to Use It

Use the tea right after brewing for best results. Microbial life is highest when it’s fresh!

Application:

Soil drench: Water it in at the root zone.
Foliar spray: Spray it on leaves in early morning or late afternoon.

Dilution:

No need to dilute if your tea isn’t too strong.
If you want to stretch it, you can mix with water.

Notes & Tips

Use clean equipment to avoid introducing pathogens.
Store nothing: Compost tea isn’t meant to sit around. Brew what you need.
No chlorinated water! Chlorine kills microbes. Let tap water sit for 24 hours or use a bubbler to dechlorinate.
Feed them well: The FPJ brings plant nutrients and enzymes, and the LAB helps break down organics and ward off pathogens. It’s a tag-team that your soil will love.

Why It Works

Compost tea inoculates your soil with living biology: bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and more. These organisms:

Improve soil structure
Increase nutrient availability
Support plant immunity
Outcompete pathogens

When you brew using forest materials, you’re tapping into a wild, thriving microbial culture—adapted to your local conditions.

Wrap-Up

Compost tea is one of the most direct, affordable, and effective ways to bring life back to your soil. You don’t need a fancy setup. Just good forest material, a little air, and the right food.

Local inputs. Living soil. Happy plants.

Brew on.