It's been a month since my last post ... all I can say is that it's been a busy month!
I have lots to share and I'll try to do that on Friday in a regular Friday post but today I want to share about one of the things I'm doing to supplement the commercial fertilizer we use on our garden.
The price of fertilizer has gone up and from what we're being told is going to continue to go up, so I've been on a mission to find things I can supplement it with or even replace it in some instances.
Enter .... comfrey! We grow comfrey and from my research over the years have learned that it makes a good garden tea giving plants a boost during the growing season.
I've made and used comfrey tea in a hit or miss fashion in prior years and know that it does help. This year however, we're going to use it on a regular basis ... no hit or miss this year. I'll be taking careful notes and experimenting with amounts and concentration throughout the growing year.
The ever-increasing cost and availability of commercial fertilizer demands that I think outside the box and look at what's in my hand, since we grow lots of comfrey, making comfrey tea is one way that I'm doing that!
In the picture above, the bucket on the left is just a bit over half full of freshly harvested and chopped/torn comfrey leaves waiting to have water added to it.
The bucket on the right already has water added to it.
After filling both buckets with water, I moved them to an out of the way place and put lids on top of both. I'll give them each a good stir whenever I think of it over the next 3 - 4 weeks and then I'll strain out the leaves, fill emptied plastic milk jugs with the liquid and use it to help supplement the commercial fertilizer we use. (Since the comfrey tea will be a concentrate, I'll dilute it before using.)
Warning ... this stuff doesn't smell good at all when it's at the stage of being ready to strain!
Do you have any experience with making and using comfrey tea in your gardening?
How are you combating the cost and availability of commercial fertilizers?
Until the next time ...
patsi
She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27
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It is good to see you back! I only use Epsom salts, egg shells, coffee grounds and banana peels for the little we grow here and it works well for us. I am seeing that we may be able to expand our growing after we had the huge tree down in December. Maybe a trip to Krispy Kreme is in order to buy frosting buckets for planting.
ReplyDeleteLana, there's no Krispy Kreme anywhere near us or I would be doing the same! Epsom salts, eggshells, coffee grounds and banana peels are all good amendments for the soil.
DeleteI have made comfrey tea, nettle tea, and weed tea (a mixture). They can be pretty stinky. This is a great reminder to start some.
ReplyDeleteLaurie, I was thinking today that I could make nettle tea using the same method and yes, even combining comfrey and nettle for another option.
DeleteA lot of stores like Kroger's or Walmart used to sell their frosting buckets but you had to ask at the bakery it they had any. I used our food scraps (not meat or greasy stuff) or manure from the Amish. I do have some fertilizer left from last year that I will use up first.
ReplyDeleteChef Owings, I don't have a local source for animal manure other than chicken ... I wish I did! I'll try to check on icing buckets at Walmart the next time I'm in town. Thanks for the tip!
DeleteI read putting comfrey leaves around the base of fruit trees is good for the trees. It acts as a slow release fertilizer. I am going to do that for the first time and see.
ReplyDeleteI've done that for things other than fruit trees and it did help. I'll have to try it on our fruit trees this year! Thanks for the tip!
DeleteEarlier this year I was able to get fish emulsion concentrate. One TBSP to a gallon of water is the dilution. I also use aged compost and side dress with "instant compost".
ReplyDeleteWe also use the ash from our pellet stove, ground eggshells,, coffee grounds, epsom salts. I just read that vegetable cooking water is also quite good to use and will probably try that as well.
Here is an interesting article about using milk and molasses for feeding plants and insect control https://underwoodgardens.com/milk-molasses-magic-garden/
ReplyDelete