Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Chris929 on August 08, 2019, 13:02

Title: Homemade fertiliser from weeds
Post by: Chris929 on August 08, 2019, 13:02
Hi all,

Last year I read that if you collect your weeds and soak them in water  then you will produce a sort of 'organic' fertiliser that can be used the following year. I thought I'd give this a go and it seems to have all worked to plan. I was wondering if anyone knows or has a rough guess at what 'sort' of fertiliser this would produce? I.e. would it be nitrogen/phosphorus rich? I'm asking this as it would sort of guide where and when I will use it.

THanks all
Title: Re: Homemade fertiliser from weeds
Post by: Grubbypaws on August 09, 2019, 17:32
I am not sure of the answer you seek but I have followed advice and pour our concoction over the compost heap.

My garden is full of dandelions and my husband didn't want me throwing them away so he did some research. The dandelions are placed in a container and covered with water until they turn into a rather unpleasant concoction which is then emptied onto the compost heap.

We do produce some rather good compost but I am unsure how much is down to this.

I have never used it as a a stand alone fertilizer but hopefully some one with knowledge will come back to you. I will follow with interest.
Title: Re: Homemade fertiliser from weeds
Post by: New shoot on August 10, 2019, 09:16
The nutrient content is going to be variable depending on the weeds you  use, but it may not be so straight cut as an NPK calculation.  I sometimes rot weeds in water before composting, but use the water on crops, usually squash. They get other feeds like pelleted chicken manure, but a bit of added extra never hurts.

The liquid feed that comes off wormeries is good stuff and pre-rotted material can be of benefit when steeped in water

Have a read of this article on the main site.

https://www.allotment-garden.org/composts-fertilisers/what-is-compost-tea/

People do make nettle and comfrey teas as feeds, but I wouldn't rely on mixed weed tea as a fertiliser to provide specific nutrients.  You could use it as a general tonic and diluted in water, I reckon you could water crops with it year round and do no harm.

A word of warning though.  All these brews stink to high heaven, so use a container with a lid and make sure you don't splash yourself with it.  The smell lingers on your skin even after washing it off.  Voice of experience here  ;)  I've accidently tipped comfrey tea down myself - not good  :lol:
Title: Re: Homemade fertiliser from weeds
Post by: WeavingGryphon on August 10, 2019, 14:10
[quote author=New shoot link=topic=130784.msg1519219#msg1519219 date=1565424970
Have a read of this article on the main site.

https://www.allotment-garden.org/composts-fertilisers/what-is-compost-tea/

[/quote]

We do this with nettles and comfrey (it is awful smelling) in a small dye butt that we don't mid tipping over. So we can put the sludge at the bottom of a bed.