Plants? Do they like tea??

Question

I've heard that plants respond well to being watered with cold tea. Is this true or is it a myth? How much tea, roughly and do the plants like it with milk and sugar?

Answer 1

Hi there.
Cold tea contains plant extract and many plants thrive on the extra bit of food. Give them all the cold tea you would normally pour down the sink. tea leaves can be composted too, if you have a compost heap.
Standard sugar (sucrose) is no use to plants but wlil attract pests such as wasps.
Plants can tolerate milk, but it goes off and stinks before being broken down and is not pleasant!
Cheers, Steve.

Answer 2

This site, http://www.herbcompanion.com/articles/06_07_04-tea, mentions a "fertilizer tea" for plants and states:
"Brewing your own fertilizer tea can be messy and stinky. Live bacteria and algae will multiply rapidly, which is good for the soil but intense for the senses. Think of these teas as earth medicine — even if they smell a bit brawny."

And this site talks about a "compost tea" (in essence compost tea is highly concentrated compost) for plants:
http://www.ecocycle.org/compost/composttea.cfm
and another: http://www.npr.org/programs/talkingplants/features/2002/compost/

And this article had some interesting insights:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Tea-As-Fertilizer&id=464086

Since most flowers and plants I know are sort of picky about their diets, I'd be inclined to think they would "hold the milk and sugar" with their order of tea.

*~ Enjoy ~*

Answer 3

I don't suppose plants'd mind being watered with cold tea, but not with milk in, or sugar really. Bit of a waste. Tea bags go in the compost bin, but same goes for them: take 'em out the cup before you put in the milk if you're going to compost them, otherwise you're introducing unwanted proteins to your compost.

Answer 4

just cold tea. Sounds silly without milk other wise the plant will stink the room out!

Answer 5

Acid loving plants like tea: hydrangea, magnolia, azalea...

Milk water (1 to 4 ratio) is a great source of calcium for plants. Doesn't stink if watered down.

Answer 6

Just cold tea

Answer 7

True. My old Dad used to swear by it, including leaves and rippped open tea bags. Scatter them around the roots.

Answer 8

not all plants .tea makes the compost to acidic for `lime` loving plants

Answer 9

Hi ... cold tea, medium strength with no milk or sugar ....

Answer 10

Yes they do, it's like a plant feed for them. My dad used to empty the contents of the teapot including the old teabags on his roses and he swore by it!