Nettle Fertilizer (Liquid Manure)
The natural cycle in a bucket: giving back to the soil what the plant has gathered from the earth.
Equipment
- Large 100-liter barrel (plastic or wood)
- Sturdy stirring stick
- Fine sieve or cloth for straining
- Watering can or sprayer
Ingredients
- 10 kg fresh nettle shoots before seed maturity
- 100 L rainwater
- Optional: 500 g rock meal (to bind odors)
Instructions
- Roughly chop the plant parts and fill loosely into the barrel.
- Fill with 100 liters of rainwater until the material is completely covered.
- Cover the barrel with a breathable material to keep insects out.
- Stir vigorously once a day to introduce oxygen.
- After approx. 10–14 days (once the liquid is dark and no longer foaming), strain through a sieve.
Notes
- Application:
- Dilute 1:10 with irrigation water.
- Use weekly for heavy feeders,
- every 2 weeks for light feeders.
- Calculation: Includes a 15% safety margin (target mass approx. 11.5 kg) to compensate for leaching during Atlantic heavy rain events.
- Safety: Strong inherent odor during fermentation; set up the barrel at a distance from living areas.