How to Fertilize Tomatoes With Tea Leaves

Most gardeners are aware that dried leaves are a useful component in a compost pile and can be shredded to form a light and fluffy mulch for garden beds. However, relatively few make the logical jump between the leaves they've raked from the lawn and the leaves that made their cup of tea. Used tea leaves contain nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, the same three nutrients combined to make commercial fertilizers. Tea leaves are also mildly acidic, which makes them especially suited for use with tomatoes.

Things You'll Need

Sheet pan
Teapot

Composter

Instructions

- 1
  Make tea as you normally would with tea bags or loose tea leaves. Save the leaves when you're done.
- 2
  Dry the tea leaves thoroughly before putting them in your garden, either by spreading them out on a baking sheet to air dry for a day or two or by baking them in a barely warm oven. This prevents mold, which can have undesirable consequences in the garden.
- 3
  Work tea leaves into the soil near, but not directly around, the tomatoes. This is a technique called "side-dressing," which allows the tomatoes to access the nutrients they need without the risk of damaging them by accidental contact or too high a quantity of tea.
- 4
  Side-dress your tomato plants once at the beginning of the season, and again when they begin to fruit.

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