Forum home Fruit & veg
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Comfrey & Nettle liquid feed

Can anyone tell me when and how to make liquid feed from nettles and comfrey and how much of each plant do I need and also if I top up with new plants or start a new batch?

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    Mick, put the leaves in a bucket or similar, add a brick to hold them down and add only enough water to submerge the leaves.  Cover the container and leave for about 2 weeks or so.  You can strain and bottle the resulting liquid which you dilute for use by adding enough water to make it look like weak tea (usually about 10 or 20 to 1 depending on the strength of the liquid, which varies in each batch.)  I always make new batches rather than topping-up the bucket with fresh leaves.  The stuff caught by the strainer goes on my blueberries as a mulch or the compost heap.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • MadMickMadMick Posts: 2

    Thanks Bob, should I leave the roots on also, and is it the same for both nettles and comfrey?

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    I wouldn't use the roots as they may survive and get spread around - just cut the comfrey or nettles off at ground level.  It's exactly the same process for either.  You can harvest comfrey at least 3 times a year and it will grow back quickly if you just cut at ground level.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • chris 172chris 172 Posts: 403

    Hi all

    i use comfrey a lot in my garden and make tea two ways

    Cut leaves and put into water barrel and leave to rot down and then siphon out for feed diluted or stuff leaves into a four pint milk carton screw lid on and leave for six weeks feed ready

    Beware it stinks but the positive from the tea is amazing

    i have comfrey plants controlled in my garden where I planted them however they can be invasive so don't worry about Chopping them down coz they will grow back.

    i got five cuts from comfrey last year which is a lot however it is well used as a mulch, compost, tea and handfuls for fellow allotment gardeners 

    Happy gardeningimage

  • chris 172chris 172 Posts: 403

    image

    image

    Hi all

    today was my first cut of the year which has been used on my early spuds rocket and also my coffin getting prepared for the big pumpkin plant

    Comfrey is an amazing plant which attracts many a friend on the lottie fro either a cutting or a bucket of well seasoned stew from my barrel

    by the way not many of them want to get it for them selves ha ha smelly stuff but brill

    Happy gardening

Sign In or Register to comment.