liquid plant feeds

This talk of feeding clematis with granulated chicken manure to provide nitrogen reminded me...

There, in the corner of the greenhouse and saved from last year are my own-produced liquid plant feeds.

Now, years ago, my grandfather would mix manure with rainwater to provide a feed for his greenhouse plants. Liquid feed is ideal for getting nutrients into potted or contained plants in a way that can be accessed immediately.

The feed should be heavily diluted so that the liquid meets the roots as it would in the soil. Too strong and you may damage your plants.

I use two simple 'recipes' to create our own plant feeds.

The contents of the small bottle on the left of the photo are made by immersing perennial weeds, roots shoots and all in water. The nasties break down to provide an excellent nitrogen feed for plants. It is very strong - and smelly- and so requires dilution.

The other, larger bottles contain high potash feed made from comfrey leaves. I steep the leaves in water and then drain the liquid off. Once again, pongy and strong. It needs dilution but is ideal for flowering plants and tomatoes.

Organic, effective and free!

reflections of..

Looking down into the contents of a bucket, your blogger reflects on liquid feeds.

Liquid fertilisers have the advantage over solids because they are instantly available to plants.

Organic liquid feeds are easy to make.

Those nasty perennial weeds that can't easily be composted: couch grass rhizomes; bindweed roots; dock tap roots - can all be bunged into a bucket and submerged in water to create an excellent all-purpose feed. Leave until the plants have broken down.

That is what is pictured. I left this in its enclosed bucket for ten months. Vintage stuff! Dilute it down to a weak tea colour and apply with your watering can.

Don't get your fingers in it - it may take a day to scrub away the pong!

If you want to give your fruiting plants, such as pumpkins and tomatoes a boost, try a liquid manure made from comfrey as it is very high in potash.