Franz Heymann wrote:

: If may go off at a tangent: What is it that is special about nettles
: as far as making an infusion is concerned? Can one not just dump
: *all* one's green weeds in a barrel of water?

I'd thought the same thing. I think it's the extra nitrogen in the leaves.
Same as for comfrey. Also maybe some plants break down better than others.
I've used comfrey, but the plants seem prone to rust in out garden, so
have moved to nettles. It's also claimed that nettles and comfrey have
deep roots that bring up nutrients from the sub soils etc.

Genuine question are there any other plants that can be used too?
What about other deep rooted plants like docks, dandelion, horseradish?

cheers
Jim

In article , J Jackson
writes
Genuine question are there any other plants that can be used too?
What about other deep rooted plants like docks, dandelion, horseradish?

It is claimed that any deep rooted plant may contain nutrients, trace
elements and minerals which shallow rooted plants do not have access to
in a continually cultivated and cropped area of ground. Most deep rooted
plants will be beneficial to compost for that reason if added to the
heap in moderate quantities. For making liquid infusions, more tender
and less fibrous material is easier to handle and simpler to bio-
degrade, thus nettles and comfrey are preferable for that purpose to
e.g. horseradish, docks etc.

The principle in an organic system of horticulture is that what is taken
from soil by plants needs to be replaced. Manufactured chemicals may go
some way to replacing NPK, but there is a good deal more to soil and
plant needs than just those basic elements.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

"Alan Gould" wrote in message
...
In article , J Jackson
writes
Genuine question are there any other plants that can be used too?
What about other deep rooted plants like docks, dandelion,
horseradish?

It is claimed that any deep rooted plant may contain nutrients,
trace
elements and minerals which shallow rooted plants do not have access
to
in a continually cultivated and cropped area of ground. Most deep
rooted
plants will be beneficial to compost for that reason if added to the
heap in moderate quantities. For making liquid infusions, more
tender
and less fibrous material is easier to handle and simpler to bio-
degrade, thus nettles and comfrey are preferable for that purpose to
e.g. horseradish, docks etc.

The principle in an organic system of horticulture is that what is
taken
from soil by plants needs to be replaced. Manufactured chemicals may
go
some way to replacing NPK, but there is a good deal more to soil and
plant needs than just those basic elements.

I don't understand why you say " may go some way to replacing
NPK....."
Why not replace those elements completely? Moreover, my understanding
is that most farmers who use fertilisers tend to *overreplace* the
elements used by the crops.

Also, there are fertilisers which, in addition to NPK, contain the
other elements needed for plant growth. As a matter of fact, I
suspect that simple fertilisers like Growmore do in fact contain
sufficient trace elements. The only reason only NPK concentrations
are declared is simply that that is all they have to do to comply with
the law.

Franz

In article , Franz Heymann notfranz.
writes

I don't understand why you say " may go some way to replacing
NPK....."
Why not replace those elements completely? Moreover, my understanding
is that most farmers who use fertilisers tend to *overreplace* the
elements used by the crops.
Yes, they probably do. Nutrient replacement is not an exact science.

Also, there are fertilisers which, in addition to NPK, contain the
other elements needed for plant growth. As a matter of fact, I
suspect that simple fertilisers like Growmore do in fact contain
sufficient trace elements. The only reason only NPK concentrations
are declared is simply that that is all they have to do to comply with
the law.

There would be a better understanding of chemical fertilisers if their
additional properties were made known to gardeners.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

"shazzbat" wrote in message
...

"Vicky" wrote in message
...

Possibly Vicky meant the urg FAQ 'Nettle Manure' at:
http://www.nugget.demon.co.uk/MetaFAQ/nettle.html
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

I did indeed. BTW I have been partially vindicated. The day after I
used
the nettle manure, we discovered that a nearby pump station had failed
and
sewage was seeping out from the tank down our shared drive! Anyway,
THAT
revolting problem has been sorted and my next batch of nettle manure has
been started.

I did wonder if it was worth chucking nettles into one of my water
butts -
any views on that or am I just asking for trouble with a blocked tap?

I would say so. Look what it did to the pumping station ;~))

Anyway, ta for the link. Mine isn't smelly yet but it looks kind of
malevolent.


Update :- My god it stinks now (cough, splutter, wipe eyes). I think
it may be what can't be found in Iraq.

Steve.

"Douglas" wrote in message
...

"Alan Gould" wrote in message
...
In article , Franz Heymann notfranz.
writes

If may go off at a tangent: What is it that is special about nettles
as far as making an infusion is concerned? Can one not just dump
*all* one's green weeds in a barrel of water?

Young nettle leaves break down more quickly, and they have a lower
fibrous content - they are also edible to humans, thus they are
perfectly safe to use on food plants as well as being truly organic.

This year I am using comfrey instead of nettles. Just as good, but they
take a bit longer to biodegrade and they are more fibrous.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

*****************************

My Dad had three big strips of garden which he tilled on a big allotment
area.
Nettles were rife in the field corners but they were never interfered
with.
They were part of our diet at Sunday roast dinners. Just like cabbage.
My brothers and father picked them with our bare hands and never got
stung.
This is because you take just the top off the nettle stalk with just three
or four leaves on. Our Dad encouraged us to grip the top firmly and pull
the
tops off one by one.
The allotment walls were the square grass sods piled hip-high all round
the
perimeter. They were quite neat and as time went on the grassy walls
harboured all sorts of small creatures. There was at all times a large sod
compost heap which, when matured after two years was used as humous.
He was helped by a dishevelled tramp who lived in the local Grubber. (
Workhouse).
The allotments were on the diggings of the earth from the Docks when they
were built many years ago. That earth from the docks formed a shape like a
high domed grassy hill and was called Ramsey Island after the local
Dignitary who was responsible for the building of the docks, and the Town.
So, naturally, I and my brothers called him "The Ragged Prince of Ramsey
Island". The stories I could tell about that Gentleman tramp.!
Doug.

More please

Ophelia