[From the August 2013 issue of the UC IPM Green Bulletin newsletter]

What is compost tea? Is it a good nutrient source? Can it suppress plant disease?

The fundamentals of compost tea are very simple: it's merely compost suspended in a porous bag (like cheesecloth) and soaked in water. If the compost was of good quality, then the water typically takes on a dark, blackish color (appearing a lot like a strong black tea). However, compost tea quality depends on the quality of the parent compost, and compost can vary quite a bit in its makeup, depending upon...