Nettle liquid feed

How it works

Fermented nettles give a nitrogen-rich feed with magnesium and iron - a spring tonic for leafy growth, and the opposite of what comfrey does.

Recipe

Same method as comfrey: bucket of nettles, weighted, 3-4 weeks, dilute 1:10 to 1:15.

How to apply

Use in spring and early summer on leafy crops, brassicas and young transplants. Stop once fruiting crops begin to flower.

Targets — pests

Not recorded — the field is blank rather than guessed.

Targets — diseases

Not recorded — the field is blank rather than guessed.

Supplies: Nettles, Bucket with lid

Days to harvest after spraying: 0

Best months: March, April, May, June

Cautions

Too much nitrogen on tomatoes gives magnificent foliage and no fruit, and soft growth that aphids love.

The thing people get wrong

Nettle in spring for leaves, comfrey in summer for fruit. Getting these two the wrong way round is the commonest feeding mistake in a vegetable garden - and a nitrogen-fed tomato is an aphid magnet as well as a disappointment.