We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Gardening

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Worm Tea?

Mary McMahon
By
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 10,803
Share

Worm tea is fertilizer made by soaking worm castings in water to extract the valuable nutrients inside. Gardeners who practice vermicomposting can make their own, while others can order castings or prepared tea from gardening stores. This fertilizer can be used on indoor and outdoor plants and is typically low-odor as well as nontoxic. This makes it safe to use on cut flowers and food plants, as well as plants that pets and children may handle.

Gardeners start a batch of worm tea by adding castings to a bucket of water. Some gardeners add molasses to encourage beneficial bacteria, and they may also aerate the mixture. This discourages the growth of harmful, and smelly, anaerobic bacteria. After around 24 hours, the tea should be ready for use. The mixture is typically dark, with minimal smell. It contains a number of essential plant nutrients and minerals, and should be diluted for best effect.

To apply worm tea, gardeners can spray or sprinkle it on their crops; one option is to fit a sprayer onto a hose, allowing the water flowing through the hose to dilute the pure fluid. It can be applied at any time to a variety of crops. One side benefit of worm tea is that it tends to discourage small insects, and will keep plants healthier. Gardeners should use it quickly, as it will lose potency with time.

It is important to make worm tea from completely processed worm casings. The fluid draining from a vermicomposting pile is leachate, not tea. While it can have some beneficial nutrients, it may also contain raw materials and harmful bacteria, and is not suitable for applying to the garden. Gardeners can maintain two compost piles to have one fully finished and worked pile available for use at all times; as they deplete the first pile, they can switch to the second pile and start adding new material to the first pile.

With houseplants, worm tea can add luster to leaves and promote healthy, vigorous growth. The low odor is helpful for enclosed environments, and diluted worm tea is unlikely to cause fertilizer burn. It will also be safe for pets like cats and dogs who may explore houseplants out of curiosity and could become ill from chemical fertilizers. The castings and sediment left over after making a batch of worm tea can be returned to the compost pile or applied directly to the garden to add body and loft to the soil.

Share
HomeQuestionsAnswered is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Mary McMahon
By Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a HomeQuestionsAnswered researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Discussion Comments
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a...

Learn more
Share
https://www.homequestionsanswered.com/what-is-worm-tea.htm
Copy this link
HomeQuestionsAnswered, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

HomeQuestionsAnswered, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.