What Is in Dirt Tea? All Six Ingredients, Explained Honestly
The short answer: Dirt Tea combines worm castings, alfalfa meal, kelp meal, fish bone meal, glacial rock dust and humic acid in one pre-measured bag. The blend is meant to make organic soil care convenient. It is not a guaranteed complete fertilizer, and the value is in the combination and format—not a claim that any one ingredient is magic.
I started with worm castings in a dollar-store stocking. As I researched and tested different additions, some stayed and some came out. These are the six that became the all-purpose formula.
Worm castings
Worm castings, or vermicompost, are the finished material produced as composting worms process organic matter. They contribute organic material and nutrients, but the exact composition varies with what the worms were fed.
They are the link to the backyard steep that started Dirt Tea. Read the full worm-castings guide.
Alfalfa meal
Alfalfa meal is dried, ground plant material. It contains nitrogen and other nutrients that become available as the material breaks down. Because it relies on decomposition, it should not be described as an instant correction.
See why alfalfa meal is in the blend.
Kelp meal
Kelp meal is made from dried seaweed. It is used as an organic amendment and can contribute potassium and small amounts of other minerals. Products vary, and I avoid promising a precise hormone response from a home steep.
Fish bone meal
Fish bone meal supplies phosphorus and calcium in a slower-release form. Those nutrients matter, but more phosphorus is not always better. Outdoor soil with already-high phosphorus does not need extra simply because the source is organic.
Read the fish bone meal guide.
Glacial rock dust
Glacial rock dust is finely ground mineral material. Its composition and availability vary by source, and weathering takes time. I include a measured amount as one part of the blend, not as a promise to “remineralize” every soil.
See the balanced rock-dust explanation.
Humic acid
Humic products are derived from decomposed organic materials. Research reports potential effects on soil and plant processes, but responses vary with the source, rate, soil and crop. Humic acid is a supporting ingredient, not a replacement for compost or complete nutrition.
Learn what humic acid can—and cannot—do.
Why combine them?
Convenience. You could buy these ingredients separately, calculate a recipe and make your own bag. For an experienced DIY grower, that may cost less.
Dirt Tea is for the person who wants one measured bag, one gallon of water and no shelf full of amendments. Steep for 12–24 hours, use the liquid at the root zone, then compost the bag or lightly use its contents in suitable soil.
That is the counterargument and the value proposition in the same sentence: Dirt Tea is not the only way to use organic ingredients; it is an easier way.
For the distinction between soil food and conventional fertilizer, read why I use those words carefully.
Ready to try the blend? Start with 10 bags or choose the 30-bag 3-Pack with shipping included across Canada.
Sources and further reading
- Organic Fertilizer and Cover-Crop Nitrogen — Oregon State University Extension
- Vermicomposting Puts Worms to Work — Penn State Extension
- The ABCs of NPK — Oregon State University Extension
Frequently asked questions
Is Dirt Tea a complete fertilizer?
It is an organic soil-care blend, not a fertilizer with a guaranteed complete nutrient analysis. Some plants may need a suitable complete fertilizer.
Are all six ingredients organic?
They are plant-, animal- or mineral-derived ingredients commonly used in organic soil care. “Organic ingredient” does not mean unlimited use or a guaranteed result.