How Long Does Compost Tea Last?

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Compost tea is the best tea you can serve to your plants, depending on the quality of the compost you steep in the water. The higher the quality, the better the benefits the compost tea will offer your plants. So how long does compost tea last?

Compost tea is known to have a very short lifespan, and this is due to the live properties it holds.

If the tea is left for too long without usage, it can grow bacteria that will be more harmful to your plants. Let’s discuss compost tea, focusing on its lifespan and how often to use it.

Does it Vary?

While compost tea is known to have a rather short lifespan, it can vary depending upon the quality of the compost used to create it and the overall quality of the compost tea itself. Most batches of compost tea will only last around 4 to 6 hours.

On other rare occasions, it’s proven that some higher-quality batches of compost tea can last up to less than a week after making. Of course, it all really depends on which type of compost tea you are making, as well as the quality of the tea.

 

What is the Longest that Compost Tea Can Last?

The longest compost tea can last no longer than a week. This is because the tea contains live properties that can eventually grow bacteria that will pose a threat to your plant. Keeping it for too long, then using it on your plants could be fatal.

If you plan on storing it, ensure you are storing it the right way to make the most out of the tea during its lifespan.

Read more below on how to store the tea properly to ensure ultimate usage of the compost tea. Of course, if you don’t plan on using it right away, you are going to want to store it correctly.

 

How Should You Store It?

You need to consider many different things when storing your compost tea for later use. The most important is to ensure that the tea is stored in an air-tight container, which will also keep the tea from being exposed to any light.

Another thing you should consider is aeration. Ensure the tea is aerated with a bubble stone or aquarium pump of the sort. The question we face now is if we can do anything to increase the overall lifespan of compost tea, and the answer is yes. Read more below.

 

Can You Make Compost Tea Last Longer?

First of all, while it’s not recommended, some will store the tea in its container in a refrigerator, hoping to preserve its lifespan for up to a month. However, if you are looking for a more efficient way to make your compost tea last longer, you should freeze it!

Yes, freeze it right now in an ice cube tray. Many compost tea creators will do this and then add a cube of compost tea to their watering can when needed to water the plants. This can stretch out the lifespan of the tea, ensuring that it won’t go bad by the end of the week.

 

Can You Use Compost Tea for Every Watering?

It depends. If your compost tea is made of 100% plant compost, you can use it daily during the growing season, for it will surely benefit your plants.

However, if your compost tea is made from compost derived from sources other than plants, you might not want to use it daily.

Otherwise, the tea should be used once or twice a month. How often you should use the compost tea when watering is ultimately up to you and can depend on not only the properties of your tea but as well as the environment in which your plants reside.

 

Final Thoughts on the Lifespan of Compost Tea

Compost tea can last between 4 hours and six days, which really depends on the tea’s ingredients and how the tea is stored. Compost tea should be stored in a light-proof air-tight container that has consistent aeration from bubble machines, such as an aquarium pump.

The compost tea might last longer than usual if stored in the refrigerator or even frozen into cubes and utilized when needed. Overall, compost tea can be used every day to once or twice a month, mainly depending on if the entirety of the ingredients is plant-based or not.

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