Feeding Cauliflowers and Other Brassicas

[Helgalush]

I dont know if its just me but the search facility isnt working.

I am trying to grow some small cauliflowers in containers. I planted them as seedlings from Thomson and Morgan, and so far I havent managed to kill them. Like most things, I just plant them on and hope for the best.

What I didnt realise was that brassicas need a lot of feeding and also need a well prepared soil before you plant They are just in ordinary MPC.

What should I feed them with? Will my liquid tomato feed do the job? I'd like to buy some of that liquid comfrey stuff (cant remember the name)...would that work?

I avoid anything blood/bone/fishy as I'm veggie. Sorry for the clueless questions but I am totally new to growing brassicas. I also have a red cabbage, some broccoli seedlings and kale seedlings which will also need food, I'm guessing.

[Snadger]

It's got to be nettle tea then I reckon! High in nitro........

[Helgalush]

Nettle tea.....from tea bags?? Or made with steeped nettles in a tub in the garden?

Dont know anywhere round here with nettles so I am really hoping its the former!

(See, clueless!)

Ah, never mind, have found a link back to this forum via google:

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...good_6684.html

[Potstubsdustbins]

I use Miracle Grow for its nitrogen content but I am not sure how this would fit in with you being a veggie.

Colin

[Helgalush]

I use Miracle Grow for its nitrogen content but I am not sure how this would fit in with you being a veggie.

Colin

Thanks, I will check out the ingredients of Miracle Grow.

[Snadger]

Nettle tea.....from tea bags?? Or made with steeped nettles in a tub in the garden?Dont know anywhere round here with nettles so I am really hoping its the former!

(See, clueless!)

Ah, never mind, have found a link back to this forum via google:

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...good_6684.html

Got it in one!

Dead easy (You're not telling me you can't find any nettles are you?)

[Snadger]

Thanks, I will check out the ingredients of Miracle Grow.

I can tell you now that miracle grow is an inorganic artificial fertiliser!

I was making the asumption that because you are vegetarian you would prefer organically grown food............sorry if this wasn't the case!

[VirginVegGrower]

There's nettles and comfrey all over our weed pile at the allotment. Guess what I'll be doing tomorrow. Can't believe nobody has snatched them! Oh well - my gain :-)

[Helgalush]

Got it in one!

Dead easy (You're not telling me you can't find any nettles are you?)

My OH informs me there is a river somewhere near our house where there are a lot of nettles, he is going to go picking some for me!

[Helgalush]

I can tell you now that miracle grow is an inorganic artificial fertiliser!

I was making the asumption that because you are vegetarian you would prefer organically grown food............sorry if this wasn't the case!

Thank you - I had a look on google and they do an Organic veg feed as well which is veggie-friendly.

I do prefer organically grown food where possible, but I have to say that very little of my own veg is truly organic. Thank you for being thoughtful though

PS I am actually looking forward to trying to make my own nettle tea!

Does nettle tea have different properties to comfrey tea?

[Snadger]

[QUOTE=Helgalush;856623]Thank you - I had a look on google and they do an Organic veg feed as well which is veggie-friendly.

I do prefer organically grown food where possible, but I have to say that very little of my own veg is truly organic. Thank you for being thoughtful though

PS I am actually looking forward to trying to make my own nettle tea!

Does nettle tea have different properties to comfrey tea?[/QUOTE]

They are both easy to make and they both stink! Comfrey is supposedly high in Potassium so is better used on flowering/fruiting plants (toms & peppers etc) whereas nettle tea is supposedly nitrogen rich so is best used on leafy plants like brassicas.
Haven't found a tea yet that is rich in phosphates but if I could I would mix the three together to make a balanced fertiliser!

As it is, I use one or the other depending on what I am trying to achieve.

I recently gave my overwintered onions a dose of nettle tea and it has done the world of good and they have put on a growth spurt. They will get a dose of Comfrey a bit later on in the year to harden the bulbs.

[Helgalush]

They are both easy to make and they both stink! Comfrey is supposedly high in Potassium so is better used on flowering/fruiting plants (toms & peppers etc) whereas nettle tea is supposedly nitrogen rich so is best used on leafy plants like brassicas.
Haven't found a tea yet that is rich in phosphates but if I could I would mix the three together to make a balanced fertiliser!

As it is, I use one or the other depending on what I am trying to achieve.

I recently gave my overwintered onions a dose of nettle tea and it has done the world of good and they have put on a growth spurt. They will get a dose of Comfrey a bit later on in the year to harden the bulbs.

Thank you for explaining, thats really helpful.

I had a "recipe" for making a bunny poo tea in a rabbit magazine I get, I wonder which would stink more out of the 3....might have to experiment

Dont know what bunny poo tea is rich in, mainly hay I guess... if its phosphates you are welcome to come and take a tonne or two of it!!

[WendyC]

I've had good results with all brassicas with Maxicrop's Seaweed extract. Comes in a brown bottle. Says approved for organic growing on the bottle.

[Helgalush]

Thanks Wendy, I've seen that and was wondering about that too.

[WendyC]

I'm a bit too lazy to make my own. Plus the plotter front of me used to make comfrey feed for his pumpkins and the smell was worse than week old road kill. Yuck!