If you want a soil drench liquid fertilizer then you can just soak it overnight. But if you want the beneficial microbes to strengthen your soil and plants then I would suggest that you aerate it for 24 hours while feeding the microbes with molasses. I would not suggest that you use tap water for the soak. And especially not for the aerated tea.

I use rain water or tap water that has sat for a day. Buy a cheap pump with hose at a fish store and aerate it.

Worm castings are teeming with microbes. I don't bother to do anything but mix the castings with tap water, stir, and pour it in the soil.

I think the benefits are very different from and far greater than a liquid fertilizer. The benefit of the microbes is that they help plants extract existing nutrients from the soil. The plants are not fed; they become more efficient. They also become more resistant to disease. I have often seen my plants shake off a disease or infestation after I give them my plain worm poo tea.

Aerating may further increase the microbe population, but the worm poo is already so rich in them, I don't think it's necessary or worth it. My bin is cranking out more than enough poo for my use and I give some away to friends, so I don't feel I need to stretch it out.

Your milage may vary.

I start with 50 gallons of water in a 55 gallon plastic drum. I bubble it for three days to get all chlorine out. Then, I take a paint strainer bag and put a pound or two of castings into it and submerge it into the bin. I let that bubble for 24 hours; I add molassas and leave for 24 more hours.

Then, it's done. You can soak or spray it. I've read that spraying works best as you get a lot more nutrient absorbtion from foliar spray than from drench. I do both things as I make such a big batch.

My bubbler is an old used CPAP machine. A CPAP machine is something people with sleep apnea use to help them sleep better. It is a big air pump. Since I work at a place that makes them, I have an infinate supply of used ones. They come with a six foot hose that I poke holes into.

It's a wonderful mix - froathy, foamy and yeasty. I use it every single week on my garden. That and Alfalfa tea (made the same way) are my only "fertilizers".

How much molasses do you use?

Novelist, that sounds like a good idea. Reminds me of brewing my own beer. Since I only plan on using a little at a time, I was thinking about buying an airpump for an aquarium. Do you know how much molasses you'd use to make a gallon? Thanks.

I've been gone from here for a long time, came back to see what you guys are doing, and read this.
I've been "teaing" for about 10 years, and ya'll have a lot of thoughts about it that are....not exactly right. Pardon me.

Brewing aerated vermicompost tea is a technique for expanding the beneficial microbes of the VC GREATLY. A primary reason for brewing it is to be able to apply it foliarly (above ground on leaf surfaces)to deal with airborne bad bacteria and critters.

If you want to use VC as a soil drench, put the VC on the ground surface of the intended application and water it in.

Same thing.

Chuckiebtoo

I don't mean to come back over here and dismiss lots of what's going on, but I gotta tell ya'll what it is all about and save ya'll some wasted efforts.

I'll be happy to tell anyone about my experiences with AVCT.

Well, I just want to feed the roots, so I guess brewing would be overkill. Thanks for the info. So I guess I shouldn't even put castings in a jug full of water first. That would make it a lot easier to just water it in. But I think I read somewhere once that it would burn the plant/roots. Thanks.

Hi Chuckie. Good to see you back here.

I mix my castings with water and then apply it because my castings tend to be wet and sticky. It's actually lots easier for me to do it that way.

My unscientific (but extensive) experience has been that by pouring my simple castings/water mix on and around the plants, they seem to shake off whatever problems they might have, like aphids, botrytis, powdery mildew, and general lethargy.

As I said above, your milage may vary. I am really happy with both the convenience level and the results of using the castings the way I do. I also am trying to save folks wasted effort.

My plants grow like crazy and are very healthy. If I had more serious pests or diseases, it may be worthwhile to actually brew aerated tea, but I also would take a look at causes, like site, soil and how in general I am taking care of the plants to find a solution.

AVCT (aerated vermicompost tea) is the most dynamic, efficient, and productive aspect of the whole vermicomposting equation. By brewing aerated tea, the biology is expanded and multiplied expotentially....from millions, to billions of biology.

More bang for the buck.

I think it is the thing that may get our whole vermi experience out there into the consciousness of mainstream gardeners.

Chuckiebtoo

What is the molasses for when you make the tea? And why do you aerate?

Yes, why do you need the molasses?

Molasses in compost tea preparation provides sugars and nutrients for the microbes to feed on while they multiply, and also adds some amount of nutritional value to the tea itself. Aeration provides the aerobic microbes with the oxygen they need - a tank of water is a very different environment than castings in a bin.

Temperature of the 55 gal drum contents, is it important? Put it in sun? Shade? Cool basement?

How much molasses for how much tea?

Howdy, can anyone give the proportions (castings vs water) for liquid fertilizer? I have 5 gallon buckets and two gallon watering cans.

Also, would like some advice on side dressing using castings.

Thanks.

Question regarding the air stone

If I have it on a timer, how often should I set it to bubble, I dont want to use any more electricity than necessary, would a couple of hours a day be ok, and can this be done continuously. just adding more sugar and water to make up for how much I take out of the mixture

I probably would forget to start making it and then give up if I have to go to all that trouble and remember 3 days later to stop and take the mixture. I would be much better off if i could just keep a perpetual batch going

I don't understand the "spraying on foliage" part. The microbes won't live long on the leaves after the spray dries up. If any bad bacteria was killed, surely it would be back soon after the spray evaporated.