How to make comfrey and nettle plant feed
Liquid fertilisers are a great way to feed your plants – they provide nutrients in a readily available form, so they’re quickly absorbed by the roots.
You can buy a range of organic or chemical fertilisers at the garden centre, but by growing and making your own using comfrey and nettle leaves, you’ll have a regular supply of organic, nutrient-rich feed for free.
Comfrey is very deep rooted, which means it is able to extract nutrients from far below the soil’s surface, out of reach of other plants. These nutrients are then stored in its leaves. By collecting the leaves and letting them break down, you’ll have a dark, nutrient-rich plant food to use around the garden.
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Collect a large bundle of comfrey and/or nettle leaves. Use gloves to protect yourself against irritants in the hairy comfrey leaves as well as nettle stings!
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Roughly chop up the leaves and pack them tightly into a container with a lid (a large bucket is perfect - the lid helps with the smell!). Use a brick to weigh down the leaves.
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Keep the container warm (i.e. use a black container positioned in the sun).
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Mix well daily. This aerates the mixture - foaming indicates that the leaves are decomposing.
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When foaming ceases (typically after two or three weeks) draw off the liquid.
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Dilute the liquid one part comfrey/nettle liquid with 10 parts water for use as a potassium rich liquid plant feed. It is ideal for encouraging flowering and the fruit production in a range of plants, including tomatoes.