Normally, city water is chlorinated and kills most bacteria and fungi. Unchlorinated water from your sump pump or rain water is much better than city water for brewing compost tea.

A better question is "Do I need to apply compost tea on an ongoing basis?".

-Deerslayer

I'd like to add that you can dechlorinate city water by exposing it to air for a couple of days. Aeration speeds the process.

-Deerslayer

Deerslayer,

In regards to my statement that I regularly apply compost tea...........perhaps I should clarify. I usually apply it a few times throughout the summer. I am new to organic lawn care and have been applying Scott's for the past 7yrs. In an attempt to "jump start" my soil I have been applying compost tea between my soybean meal applications.

thats great, put down a top dress of a good finished compost and watch it take off. The compost will have added microorganisms and beneficial nutrients. You're not still using the scotts are you? You can just use straight organics. The scotts might actually be hindering the process of getting all your microorganisms to thrive.

Also I've been told you can use one of those dechlorinaters that you can get from the pet store for fish tanks and that works just fine.

just remember to have fun,

Aquarium dechlorinators have been tested by Dr Ingham. They are a fungicide. Just a few drops of sodium thiosulfate will kill 100% of the beneficial fungi in your tea.

There has been some discussion in the compost tea world about the benefits of repeated use of tea. The argument is that sometimes it takes a minimum threshold amount of certain microbes before the magic happens. Thus, they recommend repeated usage. Probably the most benefit you can get from compost tea is to learn how to use a microscope and stain your microbes so you can count them. That way you know how good your tea is from week to week without having to guess.