Compost Tea Bags

Suståne Compost Tea Bags / Root Zone Feeder Packs

Suståne compost tea is designed to provide organic plant nutrition and introduce healthy soil microbiology.

There are multiple benefits to using compost teas. More than supplementary nutrients, compost teas deliver humic substances that can act as biostimulants and active microorganisms that can contribute to nutrient cycling and the ecology of healthy soil.

Using compost teas may reduce the need to apply pesticides. Many reports indicate that compost teas increase plant tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, reducing the need for other inputs.

21-gram Compost Tea Bags/Root Zone Feeder Packs:
The permeable fertilizer packs are left to steep in a watering can overnight to make a Compost Tea brew for topical application or placed in the soil during transplant as a Root Zone Feeder Pack. 21-gram Suståne Compost Tea Bags provide single-dose applications of Suståne organic slow-release nitrogen fertilizer, designed to provide organic plant nutrition in a completely biodegradable filter pack.

Sustane 5 lb. Compost Tea Bags are ideal for larger-scale operations and are reusable organic cotton bags, which each make 50-100 gallons.

What is Compost Tea?

Compost tea is the result of adding high-quality compost that is rich in beneficial micro-organisms to water with the presence of oxygen and allows it to “brew”. When these microbes are provided with water, oxygen, and a food source the start to multiply rapidly, populating the “tea” with billions of beneficial microbes.

Microbiology from aerobic compost provides numerous benefits to plants and soil. Beneficial micro-organisms compete for resources with the disease-causing bacteria (pathogens) resulting in less disease pressure and healthier plants.

The microbes also go to work converting the nutrients from the compost to water-soluble, plant-available form. This process makes the organic nutrients more readily available and easier for plants to take up. Soluble nutrients result in a faster response from the plant. Some composts are very rich in nutrients resulting in a tea that works as a fertilizer as well as a soil enhancer. Other composts have very little nutrients and do not provide enough plant food alone.

Making high-quality compost tea can be difficult as composts tend to vary significantly in quality. Poorly made compost may contain minimal beneficial micro-organisms and could potentially carry harmful pathogens that could multiply when the compost tea is brewed. Low numbers of microbial populations or the presence of harmful pathogens are often the result of “compost” that was made without oxygen present (anaerobic) or did not have the proper ratio of carbon to nitrogen (C:N) to reach a temperature sufficient to kill harmful pathogens.

Download or view a simple set of instructions to Brew Suståne Compost Tea in your own Backyard.

Features of Suståne Compost Tea Bags:

How Compost Tea is Used:

At the end of the brewing cycle, the water is teeming with beneficial micro-organisms and plant-available nutrients. This water can be sprayed over the plant leaves and roots and used to drench the soil. Plants treated with compost tea will generally look fuller, brighter, and with less disease pressure. Make an enriched compost tea for superior results. Once brewed, it blends well with Suståne’s Hi-N 12-0-1 WDF OR Suståne’s Flourish 8-2-4 WDF to make an enriched compost tea with superior characteristics!

How to Make High-Quality Compost Tea:

Step 1:

Place 1 Suståne 21-gram Compost Tea Bag into the water can (generally 1 teabag per 1 gallon of water). The water should be between 60 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2: (Optional)

Add an inexpensive fish tank aerator and turn on periodically to keep the water aerated. CAUTION: do not leave the aerator running unattended as the brew may foam and could overflow the watering can.

Step 3:

Allow the compost tea to sit (or steep) for at least 12 - 24 hours. This allows time for the microbial populations to multiply and breakdown the organic nutrients.

Step 4:

Apply to plant leaves and roots. Apply the normal amount of water as you would when watering the plant.

Note:

• Use Compost Tea Brew within 36 hours of placing the teabag in the water. The brew will become anaerobic once the microbes have consumed all of the oxygen in the water.
• Use Compost Tea before plants begin to set fruit. Do Not spray Compost Tea Brew directly onto existing fruits and vegetables.
• After all of the Compost Tea is used, the remaining pouch or compost inside the reusable 5 lb. Compost Teabag may be placed in the garden or on/in the soil to continue to benefit from the compost fertilizer or place the used Compost Tea pouch into an existing compost pile to jump-start the composting process.

Download or view a simple set of instructions to Brew Suståne Compost Tea in your own Backyard.