Fertilizer Tea is a popular organic way to boost plant productivity. It is easy and simple to make, and benefits your garden in some key ways:

• As a liquid fertilizer, its high nutrient value and rapid availability makes it a great tonic for plants.

• Because it is rich in the microorganisms that recycle organic matter, fertilizer  tea also boosts the plant and soil enhancing activity of soil life. These work on soil material to make nutrients more available to plants, resulting in a stronger, healthier garden.

First almost fill a large bucket or tub with water (if using tap water allow it to stand overnight to rid it of chlorine which will otherwise kill the soil biota in the compost). It is best if the container used has a close fitting lid to exclude mosquitoes and limit odour. A plastic rubbish bin or 44 gallon drum with lid are good options.

Then you can either make up a“tea-bag” using a Hessian sack, onion bag or square of shade cloth. Inside the tea-bag place an amount of compost or cow manure that is roughly one-tenth of the volume of your water. Tie the “tea-bag” securely closed and immerse it in the water or omit the bag and strain with pantyhose or old kitchen strainer before using.

• The mixture needs to steep for one to three weeks before it’s ready to use. In the meantime, like any good cuppa, the tea will be greatly improved by giving the tea-bag a good daily dunking. Liquid fertilizer aeration by frequent agitation of the mix speeds the process and produces a better result.

To use fertilizer Tea:

Strain it to remove any stray bits, and apply directly to your plants with a watering can. It is best used frequently as a dilute solution the colour of weak conventional tea rather than as a stronger solution less often. The residue left behind can be put to good use into your worm farm or compost.

Compost tea: 

For a 25 litre bucket you’d use about 2.5 litres of compost and dilute at a rate of one part to 4 parts water.

Bird Manure Tea: 

Pigeon or poultry manure (together with feathers) makes a powerful liquid manure. Due to its potency, should be diluted 1:20

Manure Tea Recipe: 

Fill a bucket half full of manure and then to the top with water. Cover the bucket, with holes in the lid for air. Leave it to stew for at least a month, stirring about once a week. That’s it. When using the tea, dilute it with one part tea to about 10 parts water and apply at the base of your plants.

Weed Tea Recipe: 

Plants harvest nutrients from the soil to grow new cell tissue. As your weeds and residue steep in your tea bucket, those same nutrients will again become available to feed your new plants.   Different plants harvest different minerals, so a good mix of plants will improve the tea. Green plants and grass clipping will dissolve quickly in water, making your tea a more potent tonic, hedge trimmings and new growth pruning’s contain the plants strongest nutrients.   Fill the bucket half full with a mix of weeds and green plant matter.  Stir it a couple of times each week and let it sit with the lid on for at least 3 weeks. Dilute the tea 10 to 1 with water and apply to the base of your plants.

Herbal Tea: 

Add dried Chamomile flowers, nettle tea,Nettles are high in nutrients such iron, magnesium and nitrogen. horsehair tea, red clover tea - many teas add much needed nutrients to the soil therefore to the vegetables you eat.  Make as normal tea and use once cooled 10:1 with water.

Comfrey Tea: 

Comfrey is an old time favourite, it’s great to grow some in a corner of your garden. Comfrey is a perennial. It grows prolifically, so be prepared to contain it. It is propagated from root cuttings and any piece or root left in the soil will grow.

Brew comfrey just like any weed tea. Comfrey tea makes a powerful liquid organic fertilizer. The roots run very deep and pull up minerals that other plants cannot reach. It is particularly rich in potassium.

Comfrey is also one of the few plants rich in vitamin B12, which stimulates rapid root growth. B12 reduces transplant shock, so use comfrey tea (diluted) at transplanting time.

Seaweed and fish Tea: 

If you live near the coast, seaweed is plentiful on the beaches for the gathering. Seaweed is rich in minerals and nitrogen, and can be brewed into a potent liquid fertilizer. Seaweed is salty and that can affect your soil, so rinse it thoroughly before putting it into the bucket. Chopping it up will also speed the process. Let it steep in the bucket for 3 to 4 weeks. Dilute and use as you would any weed tea. Fish heads and remnants can also be added to the brew they are very rich in both nitrogen and phosphorus

The Egg Factor: 

Never throw an eggshell away. They are high in potassium and calcium, both essential plant nutrients . You could put them in the compost pile . But, they are even more effective if they are dried, crushed and turned to near powder in a blender. Put the crushed shells of one to two dozen eggs into the fertilizer teas as you make them.

Molasses wash  is used to feed microorganisms in the soil. Molasses (average NPK 1-0-5) contains potash, sulfur, and many trace minerals, it can serve as a nutritious soil amendment. ratio 1:10 water

If you’d like to  boost the nitrogen content, save up and add your own urine to the mix!  You can also pee directly in your veggie garden, just near the plants, and as usual don't forget to flush...