Topic: Nettles in water butts

[kt.]

I have read tons on here and in books about people putting nettles in water butts for liquid feed. If I do this, when I do this over the coming year,

How long before the water is ready to use?
How often should I completely empty the water butt of these dead used nettles Is There any specific cleaning or other maintenance of the waterbutt when using liquid fertilizer?

[tim]

My big aim in life is to keep the water in my butts crystal clear.

So - I would rather go this way??

"A rich plant food can be made from nettles by leaving them for a month covered with water (from the water butt) in a container until the material has broken down, then mixed with three parts water when required."

[mc55]

I make mine in a black bucket - beware it STINKS !!!!!

[GrowingChillis]

I have never made it, but someone told me they put their nettles in a net, so after a month of soaking they can pull out the net with all the bits in it.

Maybe you could have 2 water butts, one clean and one witha nettle sack in it?

How good is the fertiliser, has anyone used it before?

Would it be good for chillies and peppers?

[manicscousers]

we mix the nettles in with our comfrey and docks, roots and all, all in a bucket with a hole in, on top of another bucket to catch the liquid, we use it, diluted on everything  :)

[supersprout]

I know all this juicing is good stuff and produces beautiful nourishing liquid, but can't be fenangled with it (or the smell!)
I let deep rooted weeds grow and harvest, then chop and add to the mulch - same with other deep rooted plants like comfrey, dock and bindweed :o

I'll get me coat ...

[manicscousers]

well, they are full of nutrients, aren't they, so as long as they're used  ?  :)

[cornykev]

Put mine in old green recycle boxes, in the summer it really stinks, after a week I just top up a watering can 3/4 water, the longer you leave it the less you need to add. Come back from a two week holiday so it had been standing for 3+ weeks and the stench, because it was so strong it took longer to use by the end it was 5 weeks old the only good thing was it attracted the wasps and I took great pleasure watching them drown when they landed on the sh#t liquid believe you me thats what it smelt like.