Topic: NON SMELLY WAY TO MAKE COMFREY OR NETTLE FERTILISER?

[Borlotti]

Yes leaves and stalks in water, then leave it to rot and smell, then dilute with water to make a feed.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Put it all in.

[grannyjanny]

By all Robert do you mean roots an all ;D?

[Tulipa]

You're in big trouble now Tulipa :P

Duke ;D

 ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

By all Robert do you mean roots an all ;D?

If you want to. The roots would probably take longer to rot, but give them time and they'll add to the soup.

[Karen Atkinson]

Ninny's crops..this may be a daft question but how did you get the tap in? I have a waterbutt filled with comfrey juice and hate having to dip into it to collect it. Is it easy to fit?..doesn't it sort of seep out through the whole you make for the tap?

[Robert_Brenchley]

Taps are a bit awkward as you have to put them in right at the far end of the barrel, but they're easy, and if you screw them up tight they don't leak.

[Ninnyscrops.]

Ninny's crops..this may be a daft question but how did you get the tap in? I have a waterbutt filled with comfrey juice and hate having to dip into it to collect it. Is it easy to fit?..doesn't it sort of seep out through the whole you make for the tap?

As Robert says, they are awkward to fit so I sent Hubby into the abyss to do them. Plastic plumber's sealant tape I find the best and easiest to use as it doesn't go brittle in the extremes of weather and even I can mend a leak without getting mucky!  :)

Ninnys

[Robert_Brenchley]

Be careful to put the tap right at the bottom. It means squeezing that bit further in, but it makes it a lot easier to get the bottom six inches of fluid out.

[boydzfish]

Just make sure you are upwind when you pour it out ;D A bucket with a lid keeps most of the smell in you could always try to get hold of a ex-military gas mask for the sieving part.....

[ballpointbob]

I use an old standard sized plastic dustbin which has a capacity of (I think) 80 litres. In the base I drilled a hole about 1cm diameter.
On the inside, over the hole, I placed a small 'dome' made of chicken wire. This allows the liquid through but keeps the solids from blocking the hole. I kept the 'dome' in place by sticking it down with gaffer tape.
Placed the dustbin on top of a bucket, chucked in plenty of comfrey leaves (I have 22 plants) but tried to avoid stalks. Kept the lid on the dustbin & just went on topping up.

The liquid drained into the bucket & every few days I decanted it into plastic bottles/milk cartons. Absolutely no smell at all. I used one of the bottles the other day and after 6 months there is an 'earthy' smell but only noticeable if you actually put the bottle under your nose. At the end of the season just clear out the bin (yes, that smelt) and it's ready for this year. Still trying to work out the dilution, about 1 in 15 or 20 seems OK. Best of luck.

[glensman]

I have found stuffing comfrey leaves into an old pair of tights and hanging from the lip of a dedicated water butt does the trick and stops the tap getting getting gunged up.

 With the lid on, smell is only an issue when you decant into a bottle or pail. But think of the value to your crops....