The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Vegetables => Topic started by: Eastling on April 18, 2011, 08:04:46 am

Title: Nettles as fertiliser
Post by: Eastling on April 18, 2011, 08:04:46 am

Hi i have read somewhere that you can use nettles as a feed for tomatoes, does anyone do this.

Title: Re: Nettles as fertiliser
Post by: northfifeduckling on April 18, 2011, 03:57:54 pm

yup, like comfrey feed. Steep cut up nettles in large container with water, lid on until it smells bad - ready! :&>

Title: Re: Nettles as fertiliser
Post by: suziequeue on April 18, 2011, 05:53:11 pm

Can you just leave the nettles in a watering can? or does there have to be a lid on it?

Title: Re: Nettles as fertiliser
Post by: Eastling on April 18, 2011, 05:59:24 pm

Thanks i will give it a try. Can you use it on everything? i'm in the process of maturing some pig poo for next year! ;D

Title: Re: Nettles as fertiliser
Post by: Sylvia on April 18, 2011, 08:41:21 pm

If you can get some sheep droppings, comfrey and nettles, put all in a carrot bag or similar and suspend in a barrel of water, giving a good shake or a stir now and again. After about two weeks this can be used as a plant feed. Dilute until the colour of weak tea and use as a foliar feed.

Title: Re: Nettles as fertiliser
Post by: happy larry on April 18, 2011, 09:35:29 pm

Just a word of caution regarding containers used for liquid feed or water, keep it out of populated areas they real are magnets for atracting mosquitos.I had black plastic dustbin filled with liquid chicken food that i used to keep in my poly tunnel,every time i went in the tunnel i got covered in mossie bites but i hadnt linked the bin and the mossies.

Title: Re: Nettles as fertiliser
Post by: northfifeduckling on April 18, 2011, 10:13:19 pm

hence the lid! and because of the smell of course  ;D :&>

Title: Re: Nettles as fertiliser
Post by: suziequeue on April 19, 2011, 04:48:10 pm

Ah yes - good points

Title: Re: Nettles as fertiliser
Post by: poppajohn on April 19, 2011, 06:31:10 pm

Its a brilliant fertiliser, previous advice is right. a sealed bin with a bottom tap. Chuck them in with water and after a few weeks start to use it. It stinks but is as good as any other liquid fertiliser. Keep a rotation going if you have space. Try it on onions as well, you are in for a surprise!

Title: Re: Nettles as fertiliser
Post by: Eastling on April 20, 2011, 11:57:51 am

Thank you for all the replies got some brewing as we speak!!

Title: Re: Nettles as fertiliser
Post by: Skirza on April 20, 2011, 12:41:49 pm

Me too  :D

Title: Re: Nettles as fertiliser
Post by: suziequeue on April 20, 2011, 01:45:14 pm

Gonna get started on the project today.

 :D :D :D

Title: Re: Nettles as fertiliser
Post by: suziequeue on April 21, 2011, 07:11:04 am

Got a baby water butt and filled an onion sack with nettles and sheep poo.

I was amazed when I filed it with water the stuck the bag in how many little beetles came out and flew away.

I can see I'm going to have to get another butt so that I've got one brewing and one in use.

Title: Re: Nettles as fertiliser
Post by: Eastling on April 21, 2011, 02:08:06 pm

Would it work with pig poo instead of sheep poo?

Title: Re: Nettles as fertiliser
Post by: poppajohn on April 21, 2011, 03:47:49 pm

Yes but watch the strength it could burn foilage as porker poo is more concentrated. Might be a case of diluting it a bit. The nettles only are fine though, its about as good a fertiliser as you can make.

Title: Re: Nettles as fertiliser
Post by: Eastling on April 21, 2011, 06:02:52 pm

Thanks for the info

Title: Re: Nettles as fertiliser
Post by: suziequeue on April 22, 2011, 07:39:36 am

Last year I collected up the pig poo from the pen and put it on the compost heap.

Mmmmmmmm - that batch is looking BEAUTIFUL now.

Title: Re: Nettles as fertiliser
Post by: Eastling on April 22, 2011, 08:44:36 am

lol i poo pick every day as they are quite close to the house, we had enough flies last year without  pigs! i have started a new compost heap so will have to wait until next year to enjoy it! ;D

Title: Re: Nettles as fertiliser
Post by: suziequeue on April 23, 2011, 09:08:23 am

I've only had the nettles and poo "teabag" going for a couple of days and it's already dead niffy

Title: Re: Nettles as fertiliser
Post by: Blonde on May 08, 2011, 05:55:04 am

nettles...... they are horrible things, glad we dont have them in Oz.