This afternoon we dispensed nettle tea that’s been brewing for a month to plants around the garden that were in need of a nitrogen and iron boost. Using a 10:1 ratio, we eventually administered over 150 litres of nettle tea to dozens of plants.
With this batch finished, it was time to make the next brew so it was off to a bed that had been overrun by nettles in recent weeks. We pulled them out, chopped them up, placed them in buckets and filled them with water. I’ll be honest, my forearm, shin and ankle have been on fire for a few hours. They really are nasty when they nail you.
The patch was enough to prepare two 15-litre buckets, which will be ready in 3-4 weeks. I reckon I’ll use this batch on our fruit trees and select areas in the veg patch.
I’ve tried making nettle tea in the past. It just ended up a stinking, rotting slurry that attracted unsavoury insects. How do you get away from that issue? From what I’ve been able to read, the reason our squash plants are a bit yellow is likely due to lack of iron, and we have lots of nettles we could use for that!
Ours was/is a stinking slurry too. It attracted a few flies but little more than that, and it was left way down the field, away from us to brew.
I think you’re spot on when it comes to yellowing leaves. Nettle tea is rich in nitrogen and iron. Within days of our latest boost, multiple plants transformed from anemic shades of green to vibrant green. It really works a treat, and it’s free.