Compost tea chart & mixing calculator
Our official compost tea program — the same rates we hand out at the store in Nevada City, CA 95959. Brewed compost tea wakes up soil biology fast, whether you top dress, root drench, or mix it straight into new soil.
How to read these rates
Vital Tea is our dry, certified-organic compost tea concentrate — brew it, extract it, or use it straight. All three application methods below use the same bag or bucket, just measured differently. Start at the low end of any range for young or sensitive plants.
Feeding chart Section B already lists our weekly root-drench rate — this page adds the top-dress and soil-amendment rates, plus a calculator for any batch size.
Looking for the full plant food program instead? see the official feeding chart & mixing calculator →
Brewing recipe card
Batch brewing calculator
Brewing your own compost tea from raw ingredients? Pick a batch size and how many times you'll brew it, and we'll tell you exactly how much of each ingredient to buy.
| Ingredient | Amount to buy |
|---|
Quantities are our official Vital Compost Tea batch recipe, scaled to your batch size and number of brews.
Compost tea dosing chart
| Method | Rate | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Root drench / brewed tea | 1 cup per 5 gal water · top dress or root drench | 1×/week, veg & bloom |
| Top dress (per plant) | 1–3 cups per plant, spread around the drip line | 1×/week through veg, 1–2 weeks into bloom |
| New or existing soil | 1–5 cups per cubic foot, mixed evenly into soil | One-time, at planting or bed prep |
Full strength or diluted: Vital Tea can be used at full strength or diluted up to 3:1. Store in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight and reseal after use.
Compost tea calculator
Ready-brew, kit, or brewer
Questions about your compost tea program? Call the store — (530) 470-0124. Our whole team grows, and we'd rather help you buy the right bottle than the wrong two.