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nettle feed

Lindylou333Lindylou333 Posts: 62
in Talkback

I make nettle feed every year which I mainly use to feed my pots on the patio. Can I use it on runner beans too and other vegetables?

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Posts

  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    Yes lindylou!

  • Lily 3Lily 3 Posts: 49
    Hi Lindylou I'm totally with you on using homegrown organic plant food. You can't beat free !



    I think I am right in saying that nettle feed is high in nitrogen, it promotes leafy growth. For flowers and fruit a similar comfrey feed is better as its high in potash. Which supports flower and fruit development. I'm getting towards the end of using my nettle feed and beginning to phase in the comfrey feed. I'm still using nettle on my young sweet corn plants and brassicas, it also good for young dahlias to put on top growth. I'm phasing in the comfrey feed for the tomatoes, peppers, beans, squashes etc.

    if you haven't got any comfrey in your garden. Ask around your neighbours or have a look on waste land. I find both effective feeds. Good luck and look forward to others feed back.
  • Lindylou333Lindylou333 Posts: 62

    Hi thanks for your responses.   That is what I was thinking - about the leafy growth rather than promoting the fruit production.  Am now on the look out for comfrey image

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    Comfrey feed is fantastic stuff!  I only use that and fish, blood and bone in my garden and greenhouse and everything does well.  Be careful where you plant the comfrey though as it is difficult to remove once you have it!  An out of the way bit of ground where not much else will grow won't bother it.  Look at buying a potted plant or root cuttings of comfrey "Bocking 14" as that is sterile so won't seed itself everywhere. image 

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • No expertNo expert Posts: 415

    Does nettle feed smell to high heaven or did I do something wrong?

  • Gardengirl..Gardengirl.. Posts: 4,171

    It does smell like cow manure stinky, I have put mine in 2ltr drink bottles to keep them lasting well and to keep smell away, you not done anything wrong 

    Hampshire Gardener
  • No expertNo expert Posts: 415

    Give me cow manure anyday this stuff is terible. What can I put it on and do I have to dilute it.

  • Lily 3Lily 3 Posts: 49
    I know what you mean the smell is awful ! After the nettle leaves have been stewing for 3 weeks or so, remove them. Then the smell isn't quite as bad. I dilute 10 to 1, 1 part nettle feed and 10 parts water. As for what to put it on, anything to bring on the leafy growth. I planted out 6 melon seedlings / small plants about 10 days a go, in that time they've had three feeds and virtually tripled in size. Hope that helps Happy feeding !
  • growalottiegrowalottie Posts: 10

    This is probably a really silly question, but I'll ask it anyway!  If it's good for leaf growth can you use it on lettuce? Our lettuce is growing well at the moment but I'm wondering if the ground nutrients will wane when we plant lettuce to replace the current ones as we eat them?

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,131

    Yes, it would be just what is needed for lettuce image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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