Homemade comfrey tea - how to use it, how to store it, etc.

[Russel Sprout]

Hi all

I've made a few comfrey posts this year, but this is definitely my happiest I've just decanted my first brew. I didn't expect to have all that much, but I got 5 litres! And that's pure unadulterated undiluted black nectar. Plus, the 5 litres I've got is AFTER having fed everything that needed it.

So it will definitely see me well into next year. But what I wondered is whether it stores ok? Will it still be usable and in the same condition by next spring? Fingers crossed!

My other question is in how to use it properly. I was guestimating how much to put in each watering can load and just going by the resulting colour, which was about the colour of a cup of strong green tea. I'd say about 100ml per 7 litre watering can. Was I in the right ballpark, and if not what should I be aiming for please?

Many thanks

Max

[ESBkevin]

I guestimate a good glug (a mug full at most) in a watering can and apply regularly to hungry plants. I store mine in sealed plastic containers so I have some to start next season before new growth allows me to make more. I usually make nettle tea first because it grows almost as the frost/snows end. Again I store nettle tea in plastic milk containers or similar. Those two and pee pretty much constitute my liquid feed regime these days and allow me to mix n match as applicable (or whats available).

[Russel Sprout]

Thanks! Nettle tea and comfrey tea I have and I intend to use from here on in. Great news that it will store well over winter. Pee has also been on my mind and is what I'll look into next. I do put pee in the compost bins but have yet to use it as a liquid feed. I remember watching a video which couldn't say enough good things about it, but it has sat on my "to look into" list since then. Thanks for the reminder!

A mug full in my watering can would have resulted in a VERY dark feed indeed. On reflection, I'd say I was probably using about a third of a mug or so. Maybe even less. So under 100ml. What kind of colour is your resulting feed?

One thing I forgot to ask in the first post... Once you've got the colour/mix right, how much should you then give each plant? Would appreciate any thoughts on that please.

Cheers

[ESBkevin]

My comfry tea is just as much leaf as I can sfuff in a bucket and cover with water. Three weeks later drain of the tea and toss the rest as a mulch somewhere under the peppers or on the compost heap. I'm not scientific about the strength bit. I apply it like a mild watering rather than a soak watering, I might use straight water afterwards for more moisture if I was concerned it was really dry and I'd be a few days until next visit. I'm not sure if the 'Tea' survives 100% in storage and suspect not, but it's what i have so I use it. Pee certainly changes in nature when stored and is best used fresh if you can otherwise it turns to amonia nitrate iirc and needs to convert back to nitrogon in the soil before absorbsion by the roots ( I may have got that wrong). You can use stale pee but it is said to be less readily plant available, www up some proper data if you're bothered (I'm not). one last thing I sometimes throw in the watering can is some Epson salt to green up plants, they need very little and you can sprinkle it on the ground or disolve it in the watering can.
Because my soil is heavily composted and mulched there is a decent plant/soil life there already and the liquid feed is just a top up for hungry plants, again I'm not measuring the dose so much as splashing it about in the hope that it helps, evidence is that it does help. My tomatos and peppers had NO commercial fertilizers of feed supplements this year or last and I've filled the freezer and jars with plenty of both.

[Cadalot]

Dilute 1 part comfrey concentrate to 20 parts water.

You can seal concentrate in plastic bottles and store in a cool dark place until you are ready to use it. The concentrate will keep from one season to the next and does not smell nearly as awful as the comfrey tea.