Worm Tea - Easy to Make for the Home Garden

Worm tea may not sound too appetizing but your plants will really love it. You can buy this amazing fertilizer from a number of on-line sites but if you have a worm bin, you can make your own. Worm tea lets you fertilize without adding bulk to your soil and water your garden with something really "nutritious" for your plants. Here's how to make "tea" from worm castings. Your garden will practically jump up and shout "Hallelujah!" when fertilized with this mixture and you will be amazed at the growth and flowering that results.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of well composted worm castings (no large scraps, preferably sifted)
  
• 2 tablespoons of corn syrup or molasses
  
• Water which has been left to stand overnight or rain water.
  
• An aquarium pump and airstone (optional but desirable)
  

1 bucket
1 orphan sock with no holes

Steps

1. Put the worm castings in an old sock or stocking hose that has no holes and tie the opening closed.
   
2. Fill the bucket with water. Either use rain water or let the water stand so it is chlorine free. You don't want to kill the beneficial micro-organisms.
   
3. Add the corn syrup or molasses to the water. This will serve as food for the micro-organisms.
   
4. Place the sock in the bucket.
   
5. If you have one, use a bubbler like an aquarium pump and airstone. Place it in the the bucket and plug in the bubbler so the the water is aerated.
   
6. Let water and castings bubble (or at least soak) for 24 hours. If you don't have a bubbler, consider stirring occasionally, being careful not to break the sock or stocking.
   
7. Use within 48 hours.
   

Tips

• Castings tea must be "brewed" (allowed to set or "steep") as directed above to be most effective. By steeping the castings and aerating the mixture you encourage the growth of micro-organisms which are beneficial to plants.
  
• For the same reason, you should always use water that is chlorine free. Rain water is best but you can also let the water in the bucket stand overnight and the chlorine will dissipate.
  

Warnings

• Remember that water and electricity don't mix well. Dry your hands before you plug in anything.
  
• Worm tea is not for human or animal ingestion -- just give it to your garden!
  
• Worm tea is extremely poisonous to cats and apparently somewhat desireable - do not leave out uncovered
  

Things You'll Need

• An old sock
  
• 5 gallon bucket
  
• Aquarium pump and bubbler stone (optional but very useful)