good idea or not??

[bretty666]

Lol. no.i dont mikey! I made it today as i wanted to clear some weeds and ended up making the liquid fertiliser when i decided to use a bin to collect my weeds..then i got sidetracked and just picked nettles and comfrey and covered in watwr.then i thought id look up how to make it as i had just guessed and presumed it took about two months to steep...then i found out it took two weeks...then thought...i bet i can do it quicker.and thats sort of how i work..short attention span and impatient. would it be too rich to use on seedlings or would it just be a waste. other than that it can go on the rhubarb. Im just a curious soul who does things completely out of "i wander" they say curiosity killed the cat...i say cays have 9 lives so he must have been way too curious!

[mothhawk]

We need a chemist. Do we have one? 'Cos what you've done is turn comfrey into tea aerobically, with lots of air in the mix, rather than anaerobically, just sitting underwater with no air. Does that make a difference to the make-up of the minerals and stuff in the tea? Or will both be exactly the same?

[bretty666]

Well if you look at it like that then its definately better....when i was going to install my septic tank we contemplated on getting a microstation which hardly ever ever needs emprtying because it has a wheel which turns around and puts oxygen into the water increasing the breakdown speed aerobically whereas the normal septic tank is anerobic and needs to be emptied once a year i think? Because the breakdown is minimale. ...its a valid comparison as they are bot breaking poop down ?

[Mikey]

Just remember to dilute before use.

[bretty666]

Ok a bit more than a week later i decided to use some of my awful brew. i have read though that it should be diluted to one part tea to ten parts water and it should look the colour of straw or tea without milk?? For about 1,5 liters i just started diluting some and even after 30 litres its still too dark and green? Does tgis mean its not broke down enough or does it mean iv found a way to get triple strength nettle tea? being the pessemist id say its not ready bit im unsure??? maybe.being in the mixer with rocks has bashed more chlorophyl out than would normally come out? Any advice would be great

[bretty666]

20mm tea - 250mm/cl water

[Kristen]

I'd say thats a success, the more rancid it is the more successful the outcome. If you can smell as you cross the garden thats a good brew.

I'm inclined to that thought too ... but for no good reason, just that is "how it has always been".

I don't know if steeping is just to convert the plant matter into a "soup" thereby making the ingredients soluble, or whether there is a process of decomposition which will change the chemical components - e.g. releasing nutrients that would otherwise be locked up [in more complex chemicals].

We need a chemist. Do we have one? 'Cos what you've done is turn comfrey into tea aerobically, with lots of air in the mix, rather than anaerobically, just sitting underwater with no air. Does that make a difference to the make-up of the minerals and stuff in the tea? Or will both be exactly the same?

Compost Tea is an aerated, aerobic (rather than anaerobic) process. That requires activity aerating the mixture though, and adds things like molasses for the bugs to feed on - plus it is important to use it promptly once it is made, but it might be worth looking into? Perhaps you could start with your mashed plant material?

But I have no idea about the chemistry of either process - so no idea how to extrapolate them and guess whether any variations in process are likely to be benefits, or not.

Its possible to chuck Comfrey on as a mulch, thereby letting the nutrients be released over time ... so perhaps the nutrients are just going to get released come what may?

Either way, I can't see it doing any harm, only risk is that it does less good than it otherwise might, or takes longer to have that benefit (because some of the chemistry has to happen in the soil)

[bretty666]

But the colour is all wrong..i dnt get it? Iv used some anyway and i cant see any difference in one day lol...but then again,,who can? I didnt kbow it needed using quickly though?? I made about 120litres whoops..

[Kristen]

I don't think it needs using quickly if you make it the normal way, or your way ... UNLESS you make Aerated Compost Tea instead, and if you do that it will definitely need using quickly

[Mikey]

I don't think you have an issue with it going off Bretty, the fact that it stinks to high heaven would suggest its not exactly fresh.

You've created your tea by a different process using agitation which will break down the fibres of the plant material adding more matter into your brew than steeping alone would. I doubt this is to the detriment of your mixture, but you can only really determine this by either getting the chemical compound tested or seeing how your fed plants react to the brew in comparison to classically created brew.

If you have the inclination to create such a study, I'm sure there are many here that would be interested in the outcomes. Its a bit like making a wine though if you don't want it milky you need to strain and filter it to make it clear, you'll no doubt lose a lot of potentially very beneficial trace elements by this process though.

I think you are onto a winner, though I'd not be inclined to handle your next cement mix personally.....