Nettle tea for over-wintered broad beans…..

[RhysParticipant]

Just to share an experience this spring with the forum.

I harvested some stinging nettles as early as possible in NW London and was able to make a passive tea through rotting the nettles down in rainwater over about 14 days.

Then I used a 1:10 diluent to give around 1.5gallons to a 5m row of broad beans on two successive ‘fruit days’ about 10 days apart.

As of today, we have the biggest broad bean plants ever – around 6ft high – and have pinched the tops out before the black fly arrived.

Critically, those enormous plants also have plenty, plenty of bean pods on them now, so we are hoping for a bumper crop.

I wouldn’t want to claim i understand the details about how the nettle tea fired the bean growth into top gear, but it appears to have done so.

Anyone else had any positive experiences with nettle tea, as I still have about a litre of concentrate which can be used if so!

[HazelkyParticipant]

Because I’m a wimp about smells and can’t stand the whiff of nettle tea, I was glad to come across an alternative, can’t remember where I found it, the brain cells are aging!

One needs a bucket, a plant pot or something with a hole in it and a further weight for the top which will not let water through – I use another bucket which catches any rainwater.

The bottom bucket will catch the exudate. The plant pot is put inside it and nettles, comfrey,etc are piled in the plant pot with the weighty bucket on top. As the pile reduces, I add more. After a few days, there is liquid in the bottom bucket which can be diluted 20/1. It has no smell at all, even to my sensitive nose.

After the weeeds are well compacted and brown, I remove to the compost heap and start again. It is brilliant😃

[RhysParticipant]

I do your method with comfrey regularly now. That post was back when I was starting, green and naive!

[ShaneClissoldParticipant]

Im a complete beginner and have a ton of Nettle around my allotment but i do not understand what you are saying about a bucket and a pot plant with a hole in it. Are you able to give a better description of how this should be set up?

Cheers…

[NeilfrazermParticipant]

Broad Beans 6′ High! … Rhys, you have to upload a picture…. please….
Thanks,
Neil

[NeilfrazermParticipant]

PS, when did you apply the feed?

[RhysParticipant]

Date of post 24/05/2014, Neil! Not this season and two weeks further toward mid summer.

Unfortunately I do not have a photo then still on my iPad…

Not sure why after 4 years of no interest, my post suddenly became topical, but there we are….

Am I suddenly someone to portray as a liar?!

[NeilfrazermParticipant]

No insinuation what-so-ever Sir!
Just never seen or heard of the like. Sorry, did not notice date of original post. I’ve been growing broad beans in SW Scotland (before moving to London) for many years, but never achieved anything like this.
Did you plant them in the Autumn? and was any protection afforded them? Mine were in a sorry state by February (2018) and had to be replaced in their entirety..
BTW, what variety do you recommend?
Thanks,
Neil

[Jonesyboy27Participant]

Do you live by a nuclear power station 6ft high did you buy them of a bloke called Jack,sorry about the old puns my beans went in October 17 only about 3ft very jealous

[SandraParticipant]

Shane, there are 2 ways of making nettle or comfrey ‘tea’.

1) Cut your nettles or comfrey, put them into something like an old pillowcase so that you can take them out easily once everything has rotted down. Tie a knot in the pillowcase so nothing falls out and put it into a bucket or any sort of container that will hold water. Add water to cover your pillowcase and leave to ‘steep’ (you may want to add a lid because it gets stinky!) After 10 – 14 days or so, remove the pillowcase. Dilute with water as Rhys says and feed your veg with it.

2) 2nd method, cut your nettles or comfrey as before, pile them into a large plantpot, pack them in dry and weigh the leaves down with something heavy.

I also like to beat up my greens too, bruising them I feel, might get things going a bit quicker and I can pretend it’s someone who is not my favourite person.

Put your flower pot inside a bucket or anything that will hold water and leave it for the 10/14 ish days. Liquid will start to come out of your leaves, and into the outer bucket. Collect the liquid and dilute in the same way to feed your beans or whatever, good for tomatoes too.

The good thing about the dry method is that there is no smell at all, and believe you me comfrey or nettle tea really stinks when made with the 1st method.

[Author]

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