You might not know it, but worm tea can be wonderful for your soil. It works as a magic potion that infuses the soil with beneficial microbes and prevents your indoor plants from diseases. That is why it is a must-have item for every gardening enthusiast.
What is Worm Tea?
Also known as worm compost tea or vermicompost tea, worm tea is a natural liquid fertilizer. It is made from steeping worm casting or worm manure in water. Worm casting is known to have all the healthy nutrients and microbes that plants need for their growth. As a result, the nutrients present in it are extracted into the water, and you can use it to nourish your indoor plants.
Now you must be wondering why one should use tea instead of spreading handfuls of casting over a large area? That’s because the tea is an effective way that allows easy application and covers more area.
What are the Benefits of Worm Tea?
Worm tea is an excellent option for gardens and houseplants. It is considered one of the best fertilizers, and the best part is that it is cheap and easy to make.
When you use it as an inoculant for potting soil, the nutrients present in the tea will encourage the strong growth of seedlings. However, it’s better to carry out the inoculation process at least two weeks before planting the seeds.
The tea provides billions of microbes and helpful bacteria such as fungi to your plants and vegetables. You won’t be able to find these microbes in synthetic liquid fertilizers, as nothing is good enough compared to this organic tea.
Additionally, worm tea also plays the role of a natural insect repellent. It contains microorganisms that produce a digestive enzyme known as chitinase. Due to this, it can easily break down the exoskeleton of insects. Furthermore, since the microbes also have disease suppressant qualities, you can easily eliminate the root rot problem.
As a foliar spray, it can help the indoor plants produce larger stems and more foliage, which is extremely beneficial for houseplants as they lack sunlight.
How to Make Worm Tea?
Brewing a high-quality batch of worm tea is an incredibly easy process. You won’t require any special equipment either. Here’s how to do it.
Things Needed:
- A 5-gallon bucket (Use a smaller one if you’re making the tea in less quantity).
- 4-gallons of water (It is better to use rain or tap water as they don’t have any chlorine in them. You can also use city water, but you’ll need to let it sit for 24 hours so that the chlorine in it evaporates).
- 6 to 7 cups of worm casting.
- A compost tea bag (Can be any natural fibre, porous bag, or you can pour the finished product through a mesh strainer).
Process:
- Fill the 5-gallon bucket with water and place the worm casting into the compost tea bag.
- Completely seal the bag.
- Submerge the mixture into the water bucket and let it steep overnight. It’ll then show a dark brown colour.
- Remove the teabag from the bucket and dilute it with an additional 5-gallon water until the colour becomes a lighter shade of brown. Adding water will help the tea last longer without losing its potency.
- Use the tea immediately for the best results.
How to Use Worm Tea on Indoor Plants?
Now that you’ve perfectly brewed the tea, let’s discuss using it on indoor plants. If you have a lot of houseplants, you can dilute the tea with water so that it covers more plants.
While we suggest putting the tea in the watering can, you can use a spray bottle too. It’ll work just as fine as the watering can. However, don’t forget to strain the tea before adding it to the spray bottle.
Once done, sprinkle your houseplants with worm tea. Don’t forget to cover the leaves. The beneficial microbes in the tea will protect the plants from diseases and prevent the decay of the leaves.
In a Nutshell
Worm tea offers unlimited benefits for both outdoor and indoor plants. So, do your plants a favor and use worm tea as fertilizer. We at Dirty Bills are excited to serve you with our newly launched formula. Check it out here!