Topic: Natural fertilisers / feeds - any ideas?

[GrowingChillis]

Hi

I have heard of making a tea with nettles which you can feed to the plants in the garden, are there any other plants that you can ferment to make feeds for the garden? And what is the process for making the 'teas' as I think some people call them.

Grateful for any ideas

 :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

Comfrey, or pretty well any weed you like. Just put it in a barel or other container, add water (comfrey doesn't need the extra, it's juicy enough) and let it brew. Dilute it to the colour of weak tea for use.

[Svea]

it stinks!

i use my non-compostables for this: dandelion, bindweed, couchgrass - stuff i dont trust to put on the compost heap fresh. let decompose in water to make stinky pongy feed, then put the leftovers on the compost heap afterwards.

i dont have nettles or comfrey so this works fine for me.

[GrowingChillis]

hi

thanks for the ideas

basically I go and get all the hardy weeds and soak them in water, then use that water to feed my plants! GEnious!

HOw long do i need to leave them soaking for?

Do different weeds make better teas for different plants?

thanks

[deboydoyd]

I put comfrey in a water butt  3 weeks ago and its all disintegrated , is a nice green colour and is smelling half the site out!!

[Tee Gee]

It helps to put the weeds in a string or canvas bag prior to soaking. It makes it easier when getting rid of the 'gunge'

[redimp]

hi

thanks for the ideas

basically I go and get all the hardy weeds and soak them in water, then use that water to feed my plants! GEnious!

HOw long do i need to leave them soaking for?

Do different weeds make better teas for different plants?

thanks

Nettle tea is best for leafy plants.  Comfrey tea is best for fruiting and flowering plants.  General compost tea has same applications as nettle tea but is probably less strong on the nitrogen front.

[Svea]

hardy, yes, but only use lush green growth for this (i.e. freshly ulled out weed seedlings). dont add anything woody into the water. and yes, let stand for two to three weeks, you will know when it's ready.

[GrowingChillis]

hi again

Thanks for all the input,

I will get myself a water but and then go and doind some weeding, I think I might have to offer to weed other peoples gardens to get enough weeds! or could you have like an ongoin brew, if you put the weeds in a net like someone nmentioned, and then just keep adding to the same batch as you go.

Could you do it on a smaller scale with say 2 litre bottles stuffed with weeds and then add water to it and leave it in the garden, I am a bit limited on space you see.

And also I am looking for a feed for pepper plants, I have read that they need pottasium when they are fruiting, I take it then that comfrey would be the best tea.

Thanks again everyone

 :)

[redimp]

It's not an exact science so go for it however you want.  A bottle full of concentrate should provide 2-3 watering cans of dilute so I do not see why you can't do it on a small scale.  I personally use a large plastic dustbin. ;D