Feeding crops without buying fertilizer

Bagged fertilizer is one of the biggest costs for small-scale growers. Two simple, low-cost alternatives can help: compost tea and manure tea. Both are liquid feeds made by soaking organic material in water, and both give leafy vegetables a quick boost between the slower, deeper benefits of compost applied directly to the soil.

These feeds do not replace good soil building. They work best alongside the practices in our guides to soil health and composting, as a way to support crops during rapid growth.

What is the difference?

Compost tea is made from finished, well-rotted compost. It is gentle, relatively low in strong nutrients, and rich in beneficial microorganisms that support soil life.

Manure tea is made from animal manure, such as cattle, goat, rabbit, or poultry droppings. It is richer in nutrients, especially nitrogen, so it is stronger and must be diluted before use. If you keep rabbits, as described in our article on raising rabbits in small spaces, their droppings are a convenient garden input.

How to make compost tea

  1. Fill a bucket or drum about one quarter full of finished compost. It should smell earthy, not sour or rotten.
  2. Top up with clean water, ideally rainwater or water that has stood for a day.
  3. Stir well, cover loosely, and leave in a shaded place for one to two days, stirring a few times to add air.
  4. Strain through a cloth or old sack into another container.
  5. Use within a day, applying it to the soil around plants or as a light spray in the cool of the morning or evening.

How to make manure tea

  1. Place a few shovelfuls of well-aged manure in a porous sack and tie the top.
  2. Submerge the sack in a drum of water, using roughly five parts water to one part manure by volume.
  3. Cover to keep out mosquitoes and flies, and leave for one to two weeks, stirring occasionally.
  4. Remove the sack and dilute the liquid with more water until it looks like weak tea.
  5. Apply to the soil around the base of plants, not over the leaves you plan to eat.

The leftover solids from the sack can go straight onto beds as a soil conditioner or be added to your compost pile.

How and when to apply

Apply liquid feeds to damp soil, never to dry, stressed plants, and avoid midday heat. For fast-growing leafy crops such as kale, spinach, and amaranth, applying every two weeks is often enough. Start with a weaker mix and watch how plants respond, since too much feed produces soft, floppy growth that attracts pests. Mulching after application, as we discuss in our mulching guide, helps keep nutrients where roots can reach them.

Food safety comes first

Manure can carry harmful bacteria, so take care when growing food. Use only well-aged, well-composted manure. Apply liquid feeds to the soil rather than to edible leaves, and stop applying them at least a couple of weeks before harvest. Wash all produce thoroughly before eating, wash your hands after handling the mix, and keep children and animals away from the brewing container. If you are unsure, ask your extension officer about safe practices for your crop.

Smell, storage and troubleshooting

A strong rotten smell suggests the mix has gone without enough air or contains unfinished material. Stir more often, use a wider container, and make sure compost is fully mature. Manure tea always smells, so keep it a sensible distance from the house and cover it. Do not store diluted tea for long, as it spoils quickly, while undiluted concentrate kept covered in a cool place will last a little longer.

Cutting costs and waste

Making your own liquid feed turns kitchen waste and animal droppings into a useful input, keeps nutrients circulating on your plot, and reduces the need for packaged fertilizer, which also helps cut plastic waste. It is one more way our members are building a more sustainable, lower-cost approach to farming in Babadogo.

Key takeaways

  • Compost tea is gentle and microbe-rich, while manure tea is stronger and must be diluted.
  • Both are made by soaking organic material in water, then straining and applying to the soil.
  • Use only well-aged materials, avoid wetting edible leaves, and wash produce before eating.
  • Liquid feeds support, rather than replace, good soil building.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I apply compost or manure tea?
For leafy vegetables, once every two weeks is usually enough. Begin with a weaker mix and adjust based on how plants respond.

Can I use fresh manure to make the tea?
It is safer to use well-aged manure. Fresh manure carries a higher risk of harmful bacteria and can burn plants if it is too strong.

Is it safe to use on vegetables I eat raw?
Apply the feed to the soil, avoid wetting edible leaves, stop applying a couple of weeks before harvest, and wash produce well. Take extra care with crops eaten raw.