"Noman" wrote in message
...
I've never used compost tea before, but I now have a compost pile, and I'd
like to use compost tea on my vegetables, roses, and others. I'll probably
make it in five gallon buckets. Anyone have experience "growin' their
own?"

I put an airstone (a Profile 1500 from Petco) in a 5 gallon bucket and
run it to vent off the chlorine for a few hours. I just throw in about three
handfuls of sifted compost and a glug or two of unsulfured molasses, and
stir occasionally. I fill up a large tub with water and in a couple of days,
I pour the tea in the tub and use it as a drench.
Last year, I would put the compost and a handful of Lady Bug brand
potting soil in a pair of pantyhose, but I got tired of squeezing the
pantyhose. The solution got quite syrupy and would make big bubbles when I
thought it was done. I left it for four days once, but the bacteria may have
eaten all the molasses, so I decided on two days for more volume, and no
hose........