Who wants free organic garden fertiliser?  Me!!!  Ok so this garden fertiliser is really easy to make, all you need is a bucket, some gloves, scissors and a tonne of nettles.  If you don’t have nettles in your own garden you can source them form a nearby source, they grow really well and are known as weeds due to the vast quantities they grow in.  You can source them near a water source if you don’t have them in your own garden.  Be careful not to source them near areas that are sprayed or at road sides for obvious pollution problems.

Nettles are a really rich food source for growing plants, especially leafy ones.  They are also greatly beneficial to our health but thats for another post.  This fertiliser is quick to make and easy to use.  There are two methods, the first method includes filling a small cup full of nettles, covering in boiling water and straining into the compost bin.  The water can be used in a ratio of 1:10 parts of water to feed the garden.

The second method is longer and is the method that I am creating due to the higher potency of nutrition as a result of a longer soaking.

Method:

• Fill a large bucket full of snipped nettles , continue to snip them further in the bucket and get in there with the //ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=angmilnatliv-21&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B003FMF9M4&asins=B003FMF9M4&linkId=d35927f740b385373abe542cd44a6a27&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff“>gloves if they are thick enough to bruise them, otherwise //ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=angmilnatliv-21&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B0065I0ZAG&asins=B0065I0ZAG&linkId=5e017d6325e6778892f58887246b14b5&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff“>snipping is fine.
• Weigh them down with a stone and fill the bucket with water.  Use rain water if possible.
• Leave for 1-3 weeks.
• Dilute the nettle water with 1 part to 1- parts water and fill your watering can.
• Feed your plants with it, experiment one what plants work best.  Leafy plants are recommended.
• Once the liquid is finished remove the nettle sludge carefully into the //ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=angmilnatliv-21&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B002DXRJBA&asins=B002DXRJBA&linkId=9c5b9f309976414514c74f4f0168d1a0&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff“>compost bin.

You can also use the whole bucket of water and sludge on the compost heap to speed up the process.  One warning – the liquid stinks!  So please keep out of reach of children, dogs, animals etc. and away from neighbours fencing! :-).

If you want to skip all of the above and order a decent feed I would check out the Organic Seaweed that I have purchased before or the //ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=angmilnatliv-21&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B00DP2AJLA&asins=B00DP2AJLA&linkId=3eea1bd91f1fe85865ece5f35a82bc40&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff“>Organic Plant Food available on amazon.

Happy gardening! 🙂