Worm tea? Don't worry, this is not for you, but for your garden - and it will thank you for it! Earlier, we told you all about making compost with the help of some special housemates: five hundred tiger worms in a worm hotel. You can read about that here. After months of eating and defecating, they finally provide the black gold for your garden. But did you know you can get even more out of these? The solution: worm tea! What exactly is it and, more importantly, how do you make it? We explain it to you.
Worm compost: the black gold!
In collaboration with Worm Farm
For months, you've been feeding your worms vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds and cardboard. They have worked really hard - eating, digesting and defecating - and finally the moment has arrived: your homemade worm compost is ready! This ‘black gold’ is packed with nutrients, beneficial micro-organisms and enzymes that will help your plants grow and keep your soil healthy. And this is where worm tea comes in! Soaking worm compost in water releases all those good substances in a liquid form. So you can immediately give your plants a hefty angryt give. In short: worm tea is a great way to make the most of your black gold!
Worm tea is especially useful if you have little compost and a large garden. With little worm compost, you can also choose to spread it only around the roots of your plant or mix it with potting soil from your houseplants (maximum 20% compost).
An easy recipe for worm tea
Tools
- bucket (20 litres)
- old tights
- water (can be tap water, but water from a rain barrel is even better)
- 250 gr mature worm compost
Instructions
- Fill a bucket (20 litres) with water and leave it for 24 hours if it is tap water. If you have less compost, adjust the proportions.
- Hang the pantyhose with worm compost in the water.
- Stir 10 times counterclockwise, 10 times clockwise.
- Let it stand for 24 hours (occasional stirring is allowed).
- Use (do not leave) directly at the roots of your plants for a micro-organism boost!
Notes
Getting started yourself with a worm hotel from Worm Farm
Do you also want to make your own worm tea and make the most of your kitchen waste? Then a worm hotel is the perfect start! In the webshop of Worm Farm you will find everything you need: from a wooden worm hotel to a bag of tiger worms and special worm food to get started right away. Extra handy: founders Emiel and Jasper have an extensive e-guide written packed with tips and explanations. You can download it for free as soon as you start your own worm hotel. How to give your garden a sustainable boost!
More green gardening tips
- What kind of plants do you buy? Buy poison-free plants! And here's why!
- You can also buy potting soil and garden soil more sustainably. We have a handy list of garden soil and potting soil brands for you.
- Another good idea in your garden are stacking stones. Costs nothing, looks lovely and the itchy critters will thank you.
Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl.
