If the full article on compost and compost tea is your gardening textbook, think of this guide as your pocket reference. Pin it on your shed wall or save it to your phone for easy reminders throughout the season. Here’s when and how to use compost and compost tea to get the best harvest possible.

Seed Starting

• Compost: Add 10–15% fine, screened compost into seed-starting mix. Provides gentle nutrients without overwhelming delicate seedlings.
• Compost Tea: After seedlings sprout their first true leaves, water once with a diluted tea (1 part tea : 4 parts water).

Transplanting

• Compost: Mix a handful of compost into each planting hole for peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, or brassicas.
• Compost Tea: Dip roots in diluted tea (1:4 ratio) before planting to inoculate with beneficial microbes. Water transplants in with tea for reduced shock.

Early Growth (Weeks 2–4)

• Compost: Side-dress young plants with a thin layer (½ inch) of compost around the stem, keeping it a few inches from the base.
• Compost Tea: Spray foliage or soil drench once every 2–3 weeks. Ideal for greens like lettuce and spinach that crave early vigor.

Mid-Season (Active Growth & Flowering)

• Compost: Add 1–2 inches of compost around heavy feeders (corn, tomatoes, squash). Work lightly into the soil surface.
• Compost Tea: Foliar spray or soil drench every 2 weeks, especially during flowering. Tomatoes and peppers respond beautifully.

Fruit & Root Development

• Compost: For root crops, add compost lightly around the base. Avoid overdoing nitrogen-rich blends, which favor leaves over roots.
• Compost Tea: Drench soil monthly to encourage strong roots and nutrient uptake. Foliar spray cucumbers and squash to deter powdery mildew.

Harvest Stage

• Compost: Spread a thin layer around plants to maintain soil health for ongoing harvests (tomatoes, beans, zucchini).
• Compost Tea: Apply every 3–4 weeks to extend productivity until frost. Foliar feeding late in the season can revive tired leaves.

Post-Harvest & Bed Prep

• Compost: Add 2–3 inches of compost to beds, containers, or inground plots before winter. This restores nutrients and feeds soil microbes for next year.
• Compost Tea: Optional late-season spray to recharge microbial life, especially before sowing cover crops.

Quick Ratios & Recipes
Standard Compost Tea: 1 shovel compost + 5 gallons water, steeped 24–36 hours. Use within 24 hours of brewing.
Dilution Ratios:

• Seedlings: 1 part tea : 4 parts water
• Transplants: 1 part tea : 3 parts water
• Mature plants: Full strength

Final Thought
Think of compost as the long-term investment, and compost tea as the instant energy boost. Used together, they create healthier soil, bigger yields, and more flavorful harvests. Keep this guide close, and let your plants tell you when it’s time for their next sip or scoop.

Readers, what would you add to this quick reference? Do you have your own favorite recipe, brewing method, or timing trick for compost tea? Share it in the comments below—we’re all in this growing journey together!