[Endymion]

I've collected some lovely horse manure, some of it's been put on the compost heap but I thought I'd put some in a bucket and fill it with water and use the water for, umm, watering and liquid feed.

I don't want to scorch anything though. So I wondered if anybody had a rule of thumb (guesstimate) of how long it should stand before using it, and then the right sort of smelly liquid/water proportions to put in a watering can.

[Stevens706]

I don’t know how long to steep it for, but I think the rule of thumb is for it to look like weak tea when diluting it. Oh and that’s without milk.

[Bailz]

weak tea , thats how i have been told to do it too deffo not with milk tho or sugar come to think of it cheers Neil.

[stompy]

2 to 3 weeks for it to lose it's intensity due to rotting/fermenting in the bucket.
Use it too soon and it will burn the plants leaves or roots!

Dilute half a litre to 5 litres of water.
Feed like this every 3 days.

This is how i do it and always get good results.

[Endymion]

Weak tea, presumably my sort of weak tea, not my Father in Laws! 

Thanks for the tips.

So we need to remember to wait a couple of weeks and then put a mugfull of 'manure tea' into a full watering can.

This should give some nitrogen, which is for roots isn't it.

Comfrey, if we'd got any, I think would be for top growth and flowers? We haven't got any nettles either, but what are they best for?

[Vit]

You've got a good stuff actually. This is when s#!t is not that bad  One spade for one bucket. Add water, stir well, can use straight away  try do not sprinkle on leaves and don't feed plants right before harvesting  same for fresh cows **** 

[fatcat1955]

i hang a bag of manure in one of my water butts, makes it easier.No diluting etc.

[Endymion]

You've got a good stuff actually. This is when s#!t is not that bad  One spade for one bucket. Add water, stir well, can use straight away  try do not sprinkle on leaves and don't feed plants right before harvesting  same for fresh cows **** 

Really? That's about how much I put in the bucket too, so I might start using it this weekend.

i hang a bag of manure in one of my water butts, makes it easier.No diluting etc.

We could do that ... if we had any water left in our water butts. They're bone dry - first time in years. 

[Vit]

When you mixing with water, fibres going into the soil - you have no waste