Nettle Tea

[Clackamas Coot]

There is an organization in Oregon called 'Oregon Biodynamic Group' which has been around for 35 years or so.

They have a chart titled Dynamic Accumulators of Nutrients for Composting which is a list of plant materials one could use in a thermal compost to increase nutrient profiles.

Specifically look at the properties of nettle, dandelion and watercress - pretty amazing actually.

HTH

CC

 

[tonto]

They have a chart titled Dynamic Accumulators of Nutrients for Composting which is a list of plant materials one could use in a thermal compost to increase nutrient profiles.

Brilliant

 

[jaykush]

So I've looked in my area for any beneficial weeds with no avail.

i highly doubt you dont have any, even if you live in a desert. you just dont know the local plants yet.

Today I just visited my local health food store and they carry both comfrey and nettle in a dried leaf form.

Any other directions to making nettle/comfrey tea when buying it already dried and in leaf form ?? Or can I just follow the directions already posted?

imo buying the dried powders is a waste of money, here dried nettle powder sells for 18$ a lb. when i can go collect 10 lbs for free. it kind of defeats the purpose of using materials from nature as well, at least to me.

that being said if you do buy it, it works just the same as mentioned above.

coot that is a good link, i have it bookmarked from some time ago. only thing is i cant say 100% that they are fully accurate. but close enough

 

[Clackamas Coot]

coot that is a good link, i have it bookmarked from some time ago. only thing is i cant say 100% that they are fully accurate. but close enough

Yeah - I agree.

Interesting if nothing else!

LOL

CC

 

[Clackamas Coot]

After re-reading Gil Carandang's article on BIM concoctions and his reference to a plant known in the Philippines as 'water spinach' and looking at the chart I bought a case of watercress and pureed it and put into a 5-gallon bucket with some kelp meal, K-Mag and EM-1.

Without a doubt the worst smelling stuff I've ever smelled. It's beyond belief - even worse than fermented dandelion plants which I didn't think was possible.

We'll see in a couple of weeks.

I made up his Calcium Phosphate recipe and added with some dissolved K-Mag and was pleased with the impact it had on my plants.

Looks like liming agents will be out the door. I like the mineral profile of mixing both agents.

YMMV

CC

 

[DARC MIND]

coot
i just stated using Gil's ginger garlic extract from the same article, was easy to make but only been using it for a few days. just trying to dial in the dilution ratio atm but the trouble plants do seem a bit more happy.

i wanted to do the Calcium Phosphate recipe but was wondering if it better/ or if i can make with already powder oystershells, instead of egg shells id have to save and crush?
i think so but wouldnt mind a sec or third[J] opinion.

 

[Clackamas Coot]

DARC MIND

That's really funny! A high-school friend from Southern California called me last night to talk trash and he is using Gil's recipes on his small organic farm and specifically about using oyster shell flour/powder (or even the chunk product which is from a completely oyster source). He told me that he's been using oyster shell (crushed and powder) and said that he can see no difference at all.

Here's a blurb from Pacific Pearl which is the major supplier of oyster shell products on the West Coast (it's the one sold at Concentrates and Naomi's):

Pacific Pearl Oyster Shell is a natural organic source of very high quality calcium carbonate. The shells are a small and fragile variety deposited over thousands of years on the bottom of the San Francisco Bay. For more than a century, this unique resource has been utilized to supply calcium for horticultural applications.

If you don't mind anecdotal information then it's my opinion that you're good to go.

Others may have more input. Keep in mind that the Pacific Pearl is 96% Calcium Carbonate. And it's organic.

CC

 

[Metatron]

i do live in a desert. most river beds around here have been turned to irrigation. mind you i've only looked on foot i've yet to go to other areas. thank you for the info JK.

 

[Kaneh]

Damn, that stuff stinks!!!
Flys and dogs go crazy with this stuff, my dog loves to drink it!

I did last batch with molasses and EM-1. It had very mild smell compared to normal nettle tea.
But is the end product same or are they two totally different things???

 

[MJBadger]

I got so many nettles im going to have to borrow the chipper (normally used for tree branches!)

dargo , a problem i can see with this idea is that a chipper cuts a lot bigger than a shredder , the smaller the pieces the quicker it will work .

Damn, that stuff stinks!!!

Worth bottling then , Stinging Nettle no5 . LOL

Stay green .

 

[DocLeaf]

Excellent info everyone,, please keep it coming,,

Nettles appear to be one step forward

 

[MJBadger]

On the first page a guest (freefields) mentioned that bracken makes a good flower fert as it has a good P & K content . I have yet to find what i`m looking for on the web (imformation overload) so has anyone any links ? coz all us nettle feeders will have to go onto a flower feed sometime . Any help appreciated .

Stay green .

.

 

[jaykush]

great flower feeds are yarrow, chamomile, and comfrey, comfrey, did i mention comfrey?

 

[DARC MIND]

this

and

 

[DocLeaf]

ps , seems a few posters are having trouble locating nettle . If they fancy cultivating a patch in the wilds i can send some seed as it`s very nearly ready for picking . PM me .

Thanks for your generous offer! However for security reasons seed sending is against the forum rules!!!

- - -

Nettles can be propagated from the rhizome easily,, just dig up* a section of the root zone and plant into some low quality soil.

Nettles are a weed,, and thus they'll grow anywhere,, once established they make their own seeds and grow wild

Hope this helps

* Note: it is illegal to up-root ANY wild plant in the UK without the landowners permission!

 

[MJBadger]

Hi All . seeing as i can`t send nettle seed off to those wishing to cultivate their own little patch because of difficulty finding them in their location here is a link to seed for sale with no T O U http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-6898-stinging-nettle.aspx

one of the cheapest i have found . I still find it strange that our lovely nettle weed is missing from some parts of the world , where i live it`s as common as grass that you cannot smoke .

Note: it is illegal to up-root ANY wild plant in the UK without the landowners permission

Any ? even nettles ? i would love to meet the pr*** that made & would apply that law to an invasive weed , don`t you just love bureaucracy . L O L .

Stay green .

 

[Metatron]

Can these flowers be prepared the same way as nettle? yarrow, chamomile, and comfrey. Also when is a good time to apply comfrey? Since it's a Potash beast I'm thinking up to 4 weeks info flower.

 

[jaykush]

yes they can be used the same way.

it is best imo to go easy on the yarrow and chamomile. less is more, i never make them as strong as nettles. comfrey can be made real strong. i have used it up to the last week of flower with no negative effects, but usually stop at around 2 weeks left. comfrey also works really good in veg every now and then.

 

[MJBadger]

instead of egg shells id have to save and crush?

D M have you got a friendly diner or hotel anywhere near you ?, tell them you need egg shell for a veg bed or compost heap . It`s worth trying coz there are 1 or 2 decnt people out there who may be helpfull .

Stay green .

 

[DARC MIND]

its not collecting the egg that my issue, its crushing them
the oystershell is in powder form already, i have lots (worms) and will be giving it a run w/ the recipe.
i think i read a natural farming recipe similar to Gil's but they suggested oyster and or snail shells as sub for egg.
by the way, get ur self some
http://www.horizonherbs.com/product.asp?specific=917
ur compost and plants wont regret it