Allotments 4 All

I know this is probably a very stupid question! BUT.....when you read books and mags etc. they say, feed your veg with a good liquid fertiliser. Well, what is it?
Bearing in mind I am trying to be organic and don't have any comfrey to hand, would my nettle tonic be classed as this or should I be using something else as well? (BTW smells absolutely dreadful!!!) Past years have never bothered.
Everything always goes in with a good dose of BFnB, or chicken pellets, But I would like to give em a boost if possible.(ESPECIALLY, she says, rubbing her hands together, my sunflowers!!)
Don't have any manure to dangle in a dustbin of water either! Wondering what you would buy over the counter, as a general purpose "organic" liquid feed.  Dottie P.

No expert you understand, Doris, but feel you can never go wrong with a boost of liquid seaweed.  Mr W does occasionally make up small barrel of water into which he puts bonemeal, potash and growmore - stirring, leaving overnight and stirring thoroughly before use.  I leave him to it!!

nettle should be ok. you can get seaweed based liq feeds in the garden centres. Make sure it is diluted (dunno how much though)... good luck.

Hi Doris,
           Get a bag of the concentrated manure ..
It is clean to handle looks a bit like dried tea leaves ..
Dont just spead it on broadcast as it pongs quite a bit.
Just Rake some in before You sow or plant out ...
Also You can put some in a cloth bag etc in the water tub .
If you do .when you use it. water it down till it is the colour of weak tea. This makes a good liquid feed..
the one I use is Organure ..  Jim

Hi Doris,
          Just been down lotty looked on the bag and it's called
Grow Organic 100% concentrated organic manure...
I have used it for a couple of years now and find it great stuff.

Thanks Jim, might save that one for next year, as my dustbin is full of stinky nettle tonic! Good idea tho, duh me hadn't thought of using concentrated manure!  Dottie P

I think people worry too much about liquid feed- as long as your soil has lots of organic matter, I think most plants don't need any, except maybe some comfrey or nettle tea e.g. for tomatoes.
But I'm not a scientist, so don't have any data to back this up!
Just very aware there is a big industry in liquid feed- are we just blindly using it?

Tim-- I bet you have done some trials in your time?

Get your wormery done Doris, you'll have gallons (well pints :))

Jeremy

I have never given outdoor plants a liquid feed. And, mostly, don't water. BFB & lots of compost at the beginning, & a foliar feed if any look grotty.

Indoors - yes - at every watering. A made-up high potash growers feed on everything. But I don't use sprays - except seaweed or fish emulsion.

I did experiment with Chase's organic tom feed ,& general plant food concentrate, but found it too much of a hassle trying to work out application rates for regular watering of so many plants.   = Tim

To hijack the topic a bit - my comfrey liquid is now ready.  (There is no smell in the world quite like it is there? It doesn't matter how many times you are told it smells bad, until you actually sniff....!)

I know it needs watering down, but is it a foliar feed, a watering one - not sure what to do with it, and which veg would love it most.  This is for outdoor stuff as I don't have indoor stuff!

Thanks

Ceri

I use comfrey liquid quite a lot .I always use watering can without the rose on and water at the bottom.
As for what plants to use it on I use it on all my veg ..
I Always use it when planting out  cabbage caulies leeks etc.
Also on my chrysanths and tomatoes .but as you say it needs watering down ..It has an aroma all of its own..  ;)  Jim

Can't be as bad as my nettle tonic, smells rather like something you would step in, and is the last thing I do when I leave the plot, to the wails of "blimey, whats that pong" from my neighbours!!  (hard to get the smell from your hands too! :()

Hi Doris_pinks - for me, nettle tonic is very nearly as good as comfrey feed;  yes, the precise chemical balance will be slightly different ---- but so what, so will each batch of comfrey liquid!

As for how to use it - foliar or root, and rates of dilution - depends a bit how it's been made?

Any help? http://www.keirg.freeserve.co.uk/diary/tech/manure.htm

All best - Gavin

Hey - and what's wrong with good country smells?  Memories of childhood in a house surrounded by one farmer's land.  When he sprayed pig slurry, it didn't matter WHICH way the wind blew - just slightly worse than the comfrey and nettle brews!  :(