DIY Fertilizer: How to make compost tea from kitchen waste

If you’re interested in making your own sustainable plant fertilizer, it’s a great time to learn how to make compost tea from kitchen waste. Composting takes the organic waste from your daily life like eggshells, coffee grounds and grass clippings and breaks them down into their basic nutrients.

Having a compost pile or compost bin means you have a wealth of fertilizer available - but what if you could make your own fertilizer on a much smaller scale?

Tea recipe

While plenty of non-food items can be composted, you’ll get the most effective results making compost tea with the following types of food waste:

• Banana peels.
• Eggshells.
• Coffee grounds.
• Onion skins.
• Miscellaneous veggie scraps like stems and wilted leaves.

Process

1. Add your kitchen scraps to a large glass jar or pitcher.
2. Fill the rest of the container with fresh water.
3. Cover the container loosely and let “steep” for three to five days.
4. Using a sieve or strainer, separate the liquid from the remaining compost matter.
5. To make the most of your kitchen waste, blend the remains in a food processor to create a “compost smoothie.” This can also be used in your garden when diluted with water.

Tips & tricks

Here are some more ideas and advice for brewing and using compost tea:

• Place your compost scraps in a clean nylon stocking to make a DIY “tea bag.” When working with larger quantities, you can use a burlap sack.
• Always dilute your freshly aerated compost tea with water before giving it to your plants. It’s best to use the ratio of one part tea to four parts water.
• You can keep your finished compost tea in a sealed container for up to a week after brewing.

Now that you know how to brew compost tea, you can use your once-useless kitchen waste to improve soil structure and aid plant growth in your garden.