I own some of the chemical stuff and have used it on flowers in the past. Some of those flowers lived and some died, so it's not much of an indicator. I'd rather not use chemical fertilizers on the lettuces and herbs that we will (hopefully) eat. Then there's the cat, as per the stereotype he is curious and likes to stick his face in everything.
Some googling led me to compost tea. Compost tea is made from actual compost: the rich, dark stuff at the base of the bin that is no longer recognizable as food scraps. It's mixed with water in a bucket, and the mixture is allowed to sit for a week or so. It's regularly aerated throughout the week (to encourage microbes to flourish) and then is strained for use. The solids are returned to the compost bin and the final liquid contains a bunch of beneficial nutrients and microbes. The liquid can be applied directly to the roots of plants in the ground, or diluted and used on potted plants. There was a post suggesting you dilute it and spray it on leaves. The theory is the microbes in the liquid would crowd out other microbes and fungus. Maybe? Maybe not? My research also yielded some skepticism about compost tea. There are no formal studies that prove it does what it claims to do. There are, however, many gardeners who are enthusiastic about it.
I don't have compost. I do have kitchen scraps. I figure it couldn't hurt. The worst that could happen is a bad smell on my balcony.
What I made is definitely not compost tea. More like soaked kitchen scraps. I'll call it kitchen scrap tea, or KST. Sounds more serious that way.
I gathered 2 mason jars and put the following into them as they turned up:
- used green tea bags
- egg shells
- onion skins and cuttings
- sweet potato peelings
- cabbage bits
- rapini cuttings
I filled the jars with warm water, leaving an inch of space at the top. I expected fermentation and gasses so only loosely placed the lids on...don't need that stuff exploding in my kitchen. I left the jars for about a week. I'd occasionally see large bubbles form and make their way up to the surface. If I stood close by and breathed in with intention of finding the scent of the jars, I'd find it. But for the most part, I didn't notice. Mr. P says he didn't notice anything either. The cat has not bothered to answer my question.
At the end of the week, I prepared to strain my liquids. There was a bit of a smell, but it was not strong and I felt it was acceptable...given what I was working with. I strained the contents of both jars into a large bowl, and then diluted it in my watering can. I guessed at a 1:1 ratio.
I watered the plants with the mixture and they seem...fine. They are not evidently more or less happy than they were before. There was a bit of a smell while I watered them. And the next day there was still a whiff of scent if I handled the plants directly. But nothing at all if I just sat out on the balcony.
Conclusion: I have no idea if this was worth the effort! The effort wasn't much, but it required time and counter space (and care not to bump the jars lest they spill). It seems reasonable that the liquid provided some nutrients, organic particles, and microbes to the soil. Was it enough to make a difference? Dunno. I'll probably keep doing this through the summer though.