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Tea Time in Wormville

Tea Time in Wormville

Perhaps the Sweetest of All Teas
Lesson: 3.11
Level:
Intermediate
Station: Vermiculture
Format: Experiment
Rating:
Intermediate Lesson 3.11 Tea Time in Wormville

Lesson Overview

Compost tea is like a wonder drug for plant development. In this lesson, students will experiment with the application of compost tea to measure its effects.

Goals

  • Students will be able to describe the effects of compost tea on plant development and soil health.

Outcomes

Students will apply compost tea to a set of plants in order to measure the results on plant production and soil health.

Teach the Teacher

  • The Complete Guide to Vermicomposting (included w/ Worm Factory 360)
  • What is Compost Tea?
  • How to Brew Compost Tea

Tools & Materials

  • 2 sets of young starts of a single variety
  • Two separate planting areas
  • Microscope

Activity

Worm compost is nutrient rich and loaded with beneficial microbes which can improve soil health by increasing the microbial activity. But to many, it may not be clear just how those little buggers impact the garden. The work they do is under the radar, to say the least. We can’t hear them or see them but they are working around the clock.

Their impact is seen over time in the form of improved soil health and increased plant production.

Perform an A/B test on two sets of plants of the same variety in the raised planter. Supplement one set with worm tea regularly during the life cycle.

Evaluate the two sets of plants. What is the impact on its growth habit versus the control with no supplement? Is there a difference in total yield? Is there any noticeable effect on the root development?

Analyze the soil. What impact did it have on the soil surrounding the roots? Look at soil samples from the two plant sets under the microscope to uncover what you can. Is there a difference in the microbial activity? What about the feel and texture of the soil?

Related Lessons

Give the Advanced lesson a try now that you’ve completed the Intermediate Lesson! Or revisit the Beginner Lesson as needed.

This lesson, and all other lessons on this website, are intended for use by teachers in the classroom. These lessons are protected by US and International copyright laws. Reproduction or distribution of lesson content, supporting materials, or digital creative is prohibited with written permission from Modern Steader LLC.

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