Homemade Fertilizer With Molasses

Molasses as a Fertilizer Ingredient

• As the name implies, compost tea is made by steeping aged compost in water to release the nutrients as a liquid fertilizer. Compost tea provides an organic method for combating plant diseases while adding nutrients to the soil. Microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts and fungi enable compost tea to fight diseases by creating a barrier to pathogens, competing with them or attacking them directly. When the compost is made primarily from green plant materials, adding 2 tbsp. of unsulphured molasses provides food for beneficial microorganisms. Other additives include fish byproducts, humic acids and kelp.

Molasses-Fortified Compost Tea

• To make compost tea, you need a 5-gallon bucket, finished compost and a porous bag, such as a nylon stocking. Fill the bucket with fresh, chlorine-free water. Place the compost in the stocking and tie the open end to keep the compost inside. Drop the filled stocking into the bucket of water. Add 2 tbsp. of molasses and leave the bucket to brew in a sunny spot for at least 24 hours. Some gardeners believe that longer brewing times may kill the microbes. Others recommend a brew period of up to three weeks.

Non-Aerated Versus Aerated Tea

• Aerated compost tea is made by using a mechanical process to inject air into the composting liquid or by recirculating the liquid to introduce air molecules. Commercial aeration systems are available, but some organic gardeners make their own. Non-aerated compost tea is allowed to steep without interference other than occasional stirring. Although gardeners have offered anecdotal evidence in favor of one version or the other, no studies have indicated that either method is superior.

Application

• However it is made, compost tea should be applied within 24 hours after it has brewed to ensure that the microbes are still active. The tea is suitable as a foliar spray or for use as a liquid root fertilizer. Spraying should be done as soon as leaves are dry in the morning, and the tea must be filtered before it is added to the sprayer. Pouring compost tea around the root zone can be done at any time, but applications may be especially effective as a soil booster in the spring or fall.

Safety and Effectiveness

• Safety concerns with the use of compost tea exist because the growth of both beneficial and pathogenic microbes is supported by additives such as molasses. The concern is higher for compost tea created with manure and other animal products; however, there have been no studies that point to a clear safety issue with the use of any type of compost tea. The effectiveness of molasses-fortified compost tea depends on many factors, including the quality and age of the compost. Few studies have been conducted that attempt to determine whether compost tea is effective, and the results of those have been mixed.