Compost tea for organic sweet cherry orchards and vineyards

Compost tea is a sustainable soil fertility management practice in organic farming, particularly for sweet cherry orchards and vineyards. It involves on-farm production using a bioextractor tank with an aeration pump, where compost is steeped in water at a 1:5 ratio (20%) and aerated in 15-minute cycles every 3 hours. Electrical conductivity is monitored to determine if dilution to 1:15 is required before application. Applied to soil and foliage up to three times per season, the method valorises organic waste like cover crops and pruning residues, supporting low-cost, eco-friendly fertility management. Resources available via the Organic Farm Knowledge platform.