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dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45460
Location: yes

Posted: Mon Mar 18, 19 1:36 pm Post subject:
green nettles and comfrey are an ace addition to liquid feeds. stuff them in a barrel with the soil, bfb, chook muck, dead rats or a pigs head etc etc fill it up with water, put a loose lid on and give it a couple months a bean tin on a stick is a good ladle and dilute a canful into a watering can for use. top up with water and things as required.

sgt.colon

Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.

Posted: Mon Mar 18, 19 1:43 pm Post subject:
Thanks DPack. I've got a big, blue barrel on my site just for creating a liquid fertiliser in. I'll crack on with this.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45460
Location: yes

Posted: Mon Mar 18, 19 9:58 pm Post subject:
now is good then it will be ok for summer/autumnish feeding it is a bit smelly but that drops off as it gets nearer to ready. a lid helps a lot .

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6540
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Mon Mar 18, 19 10:28 pm Post subject:
Dpack, what nutrients, etc, are you looking for from your brew? I imagine you get lots of interesting compounds and microbial life, but that total N continues to drop as days of anaerobic conditions go on?

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15575

Posted: Tue Mar 19, 19 7:27 am Post subject:

I think nettles produce a fair bit of potash, so ideal for developing fruit. Another thing that is proving to be interesting is charcoal. If you have a charcoal burner near you, try to get some of their fines. Added to the soil it will help to retain moisture and nutrients. Not sure about your views on it Slim, but from my experience of using charcoal in plating baths, I know that it will absorb both water and organic materials and will give a slow release when in the soil.

sgt.colon

Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.

Posted: Tue Mar 19, 19 8:27 am Post subject:
I don't think we have anyone like that around here MR. Could we use ash left over from the BBQ's we have over the summer?

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6540
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Tue Mar 19, 19 10:55 am Post subject:

Sgt colon I would steer clear of any from briquettes, but wood ash from lump charcoal can be useful. But primarily as a way to raise pH and to add some nutrients like calcium and potassium. Avoid it if your soil pH is already above, say, 6.8 as it can go too far in the basic direction unlike lime.

I think that MR was speaking more to charcoal, which many people talk about as â€biochar".

My quick bit on biochar it's that it's probably most useful in tropical soils, or specifically as a means to sequester carbon, but bony soils in our regions may benefit. It's also has some liming, but I think much less than ash. A big addition of pulverised charcoal may lock up nitrogen at first, so it's advisable to "charge" the charcoal before using it if possible (some people add it to compost, pee on it, etc). If you have healthy organic matter and a good pH range in your soil already you likely won't see huge advantages from charcoal, but you also won't likely see big problems (minus the potential lock up if nitrogen).

sgt.colon

Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.

Posted: Tue Mar 19, 19 11:55 am Post subject:
Thanks for that Slim.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15575

Posted: Wed Mar 20, 19 7:17 am Post subject:

I would agree with that take on charcoal Slim. It is always best to soak it in a natural fertilizer mix, use it on the compost heap, or otherwise, as you say, 'charge' it. I totally agree with you about briquettes, or any charcoal that has been treated in any way. In the UK, British charcoal from an artisan supplier is best as it will be pure charcoal with no additives; most imported charcoal has some additives to stabilise it physically for transport, to stop it burning during transport and then often something added to get the stuff to burn for use.

I may be wrong about nettles having potash; I think I meant phosphate. Wood ash is ideal for high potash, but keep the ash dry until you need it, then it is best as a top dressing watered in for things like tomatoes.

sgt.colon

Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.

Posted: Wed Mar 20, 19 11:33 am Post subject:

Mistress Rose wrote:

most imported charcoal has some additives to stabilise it physically for transport, to stop it burning during transport and then often something added to get the stuff to burn for use.

So not really the best thing to be cooking your food on then?

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45460
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 19 2:08 am Post subject:

not wishing to be intrusive but

A what do you plan on growing first?
B can we have a look at your soil?
and
C could you get your paws on a soil pH test kit? they are cheap and easy to use, the results make feed regimes etc easier to spec.

we have been chucking out general advice but without knowing what soils you in each bed it have that misses the subtleties

read up on rotations, once the first stuff is scoffed etc etc .

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15575

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 19 7:26 am Post subject:
Sgt. Colon, let us put it this way. When we went to the Jamie and Jimmy's Friday Night Feast thing about charcoal, Jamie said to our son that he wouldn't have used imported charcoal to cook for his children if he had known what was in it. Most is reasonably safe if you don't mind the paraffin, but some could be a bit dubious.

sgt.colon

Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 19 8:47 am Post subject:
Thanks for that MR. DPack. I'll take some photos for you and I'll get my hands on a kit and report back. As for growing this year I'm hoping to get in.... Broad beans. Sprouts. Carrots. Parsnips. Lettuce. Tomatoes. Chillies. Cucumber. Obviously the latter three will be in compost.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45460
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 19 12:20 pm Post subject:
give each patch a rub between your fingers. is it gritty, slimey, dusty, compacted into hard clumps etc. does it contain a decent amount of organic matter? the pH thing is easy to test and easy to adjust if needed. get the soil right and the plants will do well.

sgt.colon

Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 19 12:28 pm Post subject:

dpack wrote:

give each patch a rub between your fingers. is it gritty, slimey, dusty, compacted into hard clumps etc.

I figure I don't do this whilst it's still quite wet?

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