Sandie Parrott
The Thompsons placed an arbor in this spot to welcome visitors and frame the garden as well.by Sandie Parrott

Sandie Parrott
This photograph doesn’t do justice to the rich red of this Japanese maple. It is growing too close to the house and the Thompsons know there will have to be an intervention soon.Compost tea is one of the special treatments Kevin Thompson brings to the garden. He researched methods through reading, garden television (especially Paul James’ show called Gardening by the Yard), and talking to other Master Gardeners until he came up with his recipe. Kevin applies this recipe once a month to the garden to help fertilize and reduce powdery mildew and other diseases.

Use a 5-gallon, clean bucket and fill it with water, preferably from a rain barrel. If you use tap water, let it sit 24 hours.

Place a softball-size amount of good compost onto burlap, tie it, and soak it in the water for about 24 hours. His compost comes from his own pile or the city.

Use an aquarium pump to pump oxygen, like a bubbler, through the water.

Use immediately. Either pour on the soil or use a pump sprayer to apply to the garden. 

Optional: add kelp fertilizer or fish emulsion to the mix, although plain tea works fine.