COMPOST TEA OR ORGANIC FERTILIZER FOR CANNABIS

COMPOST TEA OR ORGANIC FERTILIZER FOR CANNABIS

Compost tea has gained a lot of popularity among growers in recent years, as many of them have begun to embrace the trend towards organic growing. This is also the case for cannabis growers. So if you too are growing cannabis and are interested in organic growing, compost tea could be the right choice for you. In this article we explain what compost tea is, how it benefits cannabis plants and how to prepare and use compost tea.

What is compost tea?

Compost tea is basically a homemade fertiliser. It is a nutrient solution made from composted organic matter, which consists mainly of organic household waste. When compost tea is made from quality ingredients, it provides cannabis plants with a large amount of high-quality nutrients that contribute to their health, vitality and even protect them from pathogens. As well as supplying the plants with all the necessary nutrients for proper growth, compost tea also has a protective function, especially for the roots, reducing the risk of pests and fungi.

Benefits of compost tea for cannabis plants

Only recently has compost tea gone from being a previously unknown fertiliser to one of the most sought-after fertilisers used by cannabis growers. Compost tea is a mixture of many natural substances that contribute to better growth and benefit plant health. The main benefits of compost tea include:

Contributes to plant growth

Compost tea helps plants to better absorb nutrients and increases their overall ability to grow. It also contributes to healthy root development.

Reduces the use of toxic chemicals

If you use compost tea, you will do without various chemicals in your garden that are toxic to you as well as the environment. By using compost tea, you will create a fertilizer that is 100% organic and thus contribute to a better functioning ecosystem.

Increases the abundance of beneficial microorganisms

Compost tea not only adds nutrients to the soil, but also beneficial microorganisms such as mycorrhizal fungi and predatory nematodes. These tiny organisms help protect the plants from many other micro-organisms that are not beneficial to cannabis.

Protects against disease

Compost tea reduces weeds and pests, helping cannabis plants better resist diseases such as blight. It can also protect cannabis plants from pathogens that could damage or even kill the plant.

Improves soil structure

Since compost tea naturally aerates the soil and helps retain water, it will provide your plants with a healthier base for growth. By increasing water retention in the soil, it also reduces unnecessary water waste.

Preparing compost tea step by step

To make compost tea, you will need the following ingredients and tools:

  • unchlorinated water,
  • a watercontainer (bucket, barrel),
  • air pump,
  • an airhose ,
  • 250 ml of organic molasses,
  • 10 litres of good quality organic compost, preferably of your own production,
  • apillowcase or tights for straining the tea.

Procedure

  1. Start with the construction of the compost tea container. Attach an air pump to the bottom of the container to allow the water to oxygenate.
  2. Fill half of the container with compost. Make sure not to squeeze too much. The compost should be sufficiently loose to allow good air flow.
  3. Fill the container about 85 % with water and switch on the air pump. It is important to use chlorine-free water. If the water is chlorinated, aerate it to remove the chemicals. Simply fill it into a bucket and use the pump to let it bubble for 48 hours. This will remove the chlorine.
  4. Add the organic molasses (250 ml) and mix it carefully into the compost so that it reaches the bottom of the bin. The molasses serves as additional food for the micro-organisms and contributes to their reproduction.
  5. Once you have added all the ingredients to the bubbling water, all you have to do is wait. Cooking can take from 12 to 48 hours.
  6. Stir the mixture several times a day.
  7. After 24 hours, a foam should begin to form on the surface, indicating that the microorganisms are beginning to multiply and everything is going according to plan.
  8. Using a pillowcase or tights, strain the liquid into another container to get rid of any undissolved residue.

Using compost tea

The compost tea is ready. The only thing left to do is to use it. You can use it in different ways. You can fertilise the soil with it or spray it on the leaves.

For best results, apply the tea to the soil at least two weeks before the plants start to germinate. If you use the tea as a foliar spray, apply it in the evening or early morning when the plants are not exposed to the sun.

Although compost tea should not harm plants even when applied in large quantities, some growers prefer to dilute it with water. If diluting, use a ratio of 1:20 for soil application and 1:2 for foliar application. If you want to prevent disease and keep the soil as nutritious as possible, apply compost tea every two weeks.

Fertilise cannabis with compost tea

As the industry and society as a whole is leaning more and more towards natural and organic processes, cannabis growers are joining in. Using compost tea is a gentle and organic way to fertilise. It is also relatively easy and cheap to produce. The main reason to use compost tea for cannabis is to promote growth and increase plant yields. Using this fertiliser will protect the plants from pests and pathogens. While your first compost tea may not be perfect, it will definitely improve with practice. Once you've seen for yourself the benefits compost tea provides to your cannabis plants, making it can easily become a regular part of your growing routine.

Try making your own compost tea and see for yourself how it benefits your cannabis plants. You can test this organic fertiliser on plants grown from seeds containing up to 1% THC, which you can find in our e-shop.


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