using worm tea/castings for a good potato crop

[carolineholding]

I'm having trouble finding organic fertiliser here in SW France, i've no doubt it exists, i'm just having a hard time locating it, I grabbed a box of tomato feed from Gamme Vert (think tescos meets garden centre) and was horrified to discover when I got home that it didn't contain a bottle of dark coloured liqued that smelled like molasses it was white powder! don't even get me started on finding multipurpose compost that doesn't contain peat.

I have planted comfrey but its still establishing it self so I don't want to harvest it too hard this year, I also have a wormery, which seems to have re-established itself after the move and introduction of new worms.

I'd really like to improve my potato yield this year so have been looking at commercial potato feeds on t'internet and it seems like its the Potassium that I need to increase my crop. I think this is the same as Tomatoes and I have heard that worm tea is a very good tomato food, but I can't seem to find out why this is and there does seem to be mixed reports on why this is. There doesn't seem to be any doubt that all things worm related are very good but not necessarily rich in potassium, does anyone know? is there a good blog post or article anywhere? I can't seem to find one

Thanks

Caroline

[Two_Sheds]

don't even get me started on finding multipurpose compost that doesn't contain peat

Are you making your own? 2 year old leafmould is perfect

I have planted comfrey but its still establishing it self so I don't want to harvest it too hard this year,

Not too hard, but you can give it 2 or 3 cuts ~ certainly enough for feeding your potatoes (feed them only when the tubers start to swell)

Some other ideas here: Homemade Organic Potato Fertilizer-Potato Industry Website

[solway cropper]

If you are anywhere near the coast in SW France seaweed is fairly high in potash and I add loads of it to my compost heap and also make a liquid feed for toms and spuds. Wood ash also helps but it is alkaline and can cause scab if you overdo it.

[carolineholding]

I am making leaf mold but only started this autumn, I of course have some perfectly matured leaf mold back in the uk. Grrr.

Re comfrey, I am growings lots of plants that will benefit from a comfrey feed, so I really don't think I'll have enough for all of them this year.

No, I'm not near the coast and we're pretty broke, but should I find my self at a beach I will totally be bagging up some seaweed! in fact I'll be asking any visitors to do the same so that might work out.

[bazzaboy]

Interesting question CH.... On comfrey depends which type you have ("Bocking 14" being a popular one because it doesn't spread too fast) but whichever it seems pretty tough, I decimate mine when it grows (slow to start this year because of the cool Spring) and it seems to come back stronger every time... Use direct with potatoes and steeped/filtered as a tonic, as with (related) tomatoes is of maximum effect as fruit/tubers form/swell... Bit more difficult to gauge with potatoes but I imagine must be pre-flowering and flowering period.

On "worm tea" I have a couple of wormeries and use what I think of as "worm tea" (the liquid that comes out of the sump) extensively but have learned the hard way to dilute massively (like no more than a splash in a watering can) because it can be quite toxic (e.g. killed off my melons last year!) I've subsequently learned that the stuff I call "worm tea" is better called "leachate" and whilst not exactly poisonous does need to be used with caution whereas "proper worm tea" is a microbe mixture made from worm castings (and quickly gets quite scientific and a step beyond me...). I use what appears to work, but I'm not quite sure why it works... 2 references that might help are:

Using Worm Bin Leachate
and
www.yelmworms.com/compost-tea/page3.htm