Allotments 4 All

I keep reading that I should be feeding plants with liquid manure. Do I buy it? Make it? What does it mean and how do I get it/use it?
HELP

No..you don't have to but it is alternative option for chemical fertilizers and it is easy to make and cheap..
Basically it is just manure (horse,chicken etc.) which is been soaked in water and resulting smelly mixture diluted further when used..
But there is so many recipes...and not all animal manure based..you can use your 'everyday' weeds sameway ....different plant sources provide different quantities of each Of the feed components..
I think most of us who do these stinking feed tends to do just general stuff where everyhing and anything goes in and resulting feed is good with everything..sort of.. ::)
I'll let other to follow this thread as I can feel recipe book coming on... ;D

I tried making manure & nettle feeds but to be honest the smell was so awful :o it really put me off eating the veg I had used it on,silly I know but it did really put me off,lol
Now I buy organic concentrated seaweed liquid that is simple to dilute & apply & doesnt stink! I know it isnt free like the nettle stuff but it isnt very expensive as it dilutes down loads 

You can make a slightly raised manure bins with something underneath to catch any naturally leaking manure liquid then dilute this.

I'm moving my compost/manure bins and plan on raising them approx 6"with the base at a slight angle so that liquid will run off into a container.

Neil

Tony makes a nettle brew every year and although it smells nasty it does the plants good.

I've got my first real crop of comfrey this year so I'm hoping for great things. Sheep poo tea is supposed to be good but I can tell you it REALLY stinks far worse than nettle. I don't like throwing anything away out of the garden, so I either compost it, drown it for a few months(perennial weeds) or burn it and use the ash. Not tried a wormery or Bokashi bin yet, I guess I still have those joys to come  :-\

Thanks for the info. Now a really silly question! What  sort of container is best for these witches brews?

Anything will do...if you have lots of poo to do..use barrel if not just spare watering can will do..bucket..etc.
But I would always recommend something with lid or that can be covered as most of the brews have certain aroma to them.. ::)... ;)..and it aint smelling of flowers..

...I use 50 litre bucket and that does plenty for me for weeks..I have 2 large lotties and it will normally last for me almost whole summer..I dilute it lots so it looks like very weak tea.. and rather than really 'feeding the plants' I pour some in water barrel and all crops get a some when watered..It more of the method..little and often..

For the smelly brews, i.e. comfry/nettle leaves etc, save your plastic milk containers. Fill container full of leaves, top up with water, screw on top and wait a few weeks. That way you can stop it smelling whilst it's fermenting.

During this dry spell I would like to use my chicken pellets.   Would it be OK to put them in water to make a liquid feed?  Has anyone tried this.

Mormor hope you don't mind me using your thread.

Yes I do that too and it works....

Feel free! I am really learning alot - so all comment/information is great .

Thanks both.


Any info on how on weight of pellets to a black bucket of water?

What  sort of container is best for these witches brews?

I used to make a lot of wine and beer so still have some equipment. I use two 5 gallon buckets one inside the other-the uppermost having holes drilled in it the lower having a tap

Stuff comfrey in the top,add water and turn on the tap after a couple of days,then put the water back and repeat until the resulting `brew` is sufficiently disgusting to use.

After a couple of uses the rotten mess goes on the compost heap and I recharge with fresh comfrey

Manure Tea...I use old onion sacks the plastic type, simply fill with your desired manure, tie the top of the bag to a sturdy stick, drop the whole sack into a barrel of water, leave the stick across the top of the barrel, to surport the sack,
This also helps you aggitate the sack occasionally.
Preferably use a barrel /butt with a tap, to drain the liquid off after leaving it suspended in the butt for a couple of weeks.
Dilute  drained off liquid to suit...add more water to re-fill butt...
Nettle tea or comfree can use the same method or as I do dump the nettles in an old bath weight down with a couple of bricks , wait till it stinks and use.
Don't use nettle roots, and always dilute all above brews...

Have fun ...its Bally good stuff.... ;)

I use an old dustbin to make my comfrey juice.  Be careful as I am next to the toilet and another plot holder thought we had trouble with the drains.  Also it seems to get into your skin so you end up smelling like a very delightful sewer.

Just wanted to thank Terrier for the fantastic yet simple idea of using plastic milk cartons, I am so happy it will keep the smell contained  ;D 

OK, I have no netles around, we are not allowed to use comfrey plants here but I  have unlimited access to 1 year old manure and lots of 1 gallon milk jugs.

So in a milk jug, how much manure would I put in please , how long before I can use it and how much should I then dilute it.

Can I then use it around everything?

Thank you

XX Jeannine

Jeannine,
Why no Comfrey?