Tea leaves

[Andy Petro]

Are used tea leaves good as a fertilizer ?

[Vandy Terre]

Depends. Tea leaves would be high in tanin which is a growth prohibitor for many plants. Tea leaves might be better used as an addition to high nitrogen sources like chicken/ bird droppings and then mixed into the compost pile.

[David Hare-Scott]

Add to your compost.

David

[Dee]

"Andy Petro" wrote in news:475f07c2$0$26006$ [e-mail]:

I drink tea every day (loose and bagged) so I have a constant supply of spent leaves. I tried an experiment this summer where I scattered the leaves at the base of different plants - hosta, daylily, coral bells, lady's mantle, perennial geranium, peppers and tomatoes - and some were in pots and some were in the ground. The tea leaves/grounds would disappear into the soil in about a week. All the plants seemed to love the tea leaves as evidenced by more flowers/fruit and larger leaves. I will definitely be doing this again next year.

Dee

[Manelli Family]

We compost them with coffee grounds and other kitchen waste (not meat and bones).

[FarmI]

Very good around the base of hydrangea. I also use them around the base of a camellia working on the principle that it comes from the camellia family so I'll give it back to it's family member. I know it works on the hydrangea but I can't swear that it's doing any good for the camellia.

[Plantaganet]

Yes, go ahead and add tea leaves to your compost. But for goodness sak DON'T include any tea bags as they take years to rot down. Once in th soil they're just about there to stay and will constantly stick on you fork when diigging. I know as the previous owners of my garden alway put used tea bags in their compost bin.

Plantagane

-- Plantaganet

[George.com]

ditto. Provided there is moisture and worms the tea bags will go quickly. Leaving them in dry soil will have the tea bags hang around for quite a time. In the compost is the best idea. Besides, who far easier than shredding each tea bag individually.

rob

[Usenet2007]

That's odd. I dump several teabags into my compost every day. And they don't seem to last very long. Perhaps because I buy really cheap tea, and the bags are thin?