1. would i be wasting compost tea if i applied it straight onto my wood chip mulch? i assume it would be best to just push aside my thick mulch and get it applied near the roots and then recover it up?
A lot of the benefits of compost tea are in foliar applications, so you can just put it in a watering can and let it drip from the leaves down onto the mulch.
Companion Planting Guide by World Permaculture Association