The all new good, bad and ugly of growing your own in 2020

-taff

Absolutely it does. If you use a covered buket or barrel it won't be so bad.

Get Bocking 14 comfrey, it's sterile, it will spread a bit clump speaking but won't spring up everywhere...

[Deleted User]

-taff said:

Absolutely it does. If you use a covered buket or barrel it won't be so bad.

Get Bocking 14 comfrey, it's sterile, it will spread a bit clump speaking but won't spring up everywhere...

Oh dear - looks like I'll have to find a piece of the garden as far from the house as possible to make my fertiliser brew! 😂 Thanks for the info -taff that's really helpful to know! 😁

carinjo

-taff said:

You could put the stinging nettles in water to make a nitrogen rich feed for leafy greens. Stinks though.

What a good idea! I have a ready made supply opposite the path that runs past my plot. One of my fellow allotmenteers collect for herbal tea, so might try that too. I looked at a few sites and it says good for leafy greens and heavy feeders. Not good for tomatoes. Examples of leavy greens anyone?
One of the gentlemen on the allotment promised me artichoke cuttings today, he is planning on splitting and replanting his, so now i have an excuse to dig up the five raspberry canes left on perimeter of plot! 

-taff

Most brassicas are leafy greens, kale, cabbage, sprouts etc probably cauli but I've never grown that.

Comfrey is good for tomatoes or fuiting veg

Suffolk_lass

We inadvertently left a plastic trug with weeds in and the rain on top made a putrid smelling brew. It went on the compost heap but I can still smell it in the plastic trug which I can't get rid of - so if you are making your witches brews for fertiliser, a covered container, yes, but consider using a metal dustbin with a lid. My grandad had one on a non-mortared brick base and added a tap near the bottom of the bin so he could add a splash to his watering can and then dilute it down. It takes a fair bit of diluting - 1:7 from memory

-taff

That's a good idea,never thought of that. Just have to find a tap now...:)

Suffolk_lass

How interesting that Monty and co were also talking about Comfrey fertiliser on Friday's GW. Poor Nigel

GunShotResidue

I might have to try making some feed, there are loads of nettles along the bike trial near us. Although my broccoli and cauliflowers seem to be growing quite well, it's the squash and courgette that could use some help!

I'm hoping eventually we'll have a kind of closed loop in the garden, with feed and compost from the bokashi bucket, water from a butt and collecting our own seeds (I have a wish list of heirloom seeds that I'm asking my husband and family for for christmas!) but that wont be for quite a while.

Suffolk_lass

GunShotResidue said:

I might have to try making some feed, there are loads of nettles along the bike trial near us. Although my broccoli and cauliflowers seem to be growing quite well, it's the squash and courgette that could use some help!

I'm hoping eventually we'll have a kind of closed loop in the garden, with feed and compost from the bokashi bucket, water from a butt and collecting our own seeds (I have a wish list of heirloom seeds that I'm asking my husband and family for for christmas!) but that wont be for quite a while.

Just be aware that most of the squash are F1 hybrid seeds so not good for growing from seed the following year

-taff

You can use any weeds to make a feed, dandelion etc, just chuck it all is my mantra, if it helps great...it won't hurt....