In order to satisfy the great hunger for nutrients, traditional nettle manure has made a name for itself in tomato cultivation. You can easily make the valuable natural fertilizer yourself. Here you will find the tried and tested recipe with instructions.
How do you make nettle manure for tomatoes?
Stinging nettle manure for tomatoes can be easily made by mixing 1 kg of fresh or 200 g of dried nettle in a large container with 10 liters of water and 2-3 tablespoons of rock dust. The mixture should be stirred daily and after 14 days, when it is dark in color and no longer foaming, diluted with water in a ratio of 1:20 for young and 1:10 for older tomato plants.
All ingredients and the right working materials
So that the nettle manure on tomatoes can develop its full potential, we recommend using fresh, non-flowering plants. Both the large nettle (Urtica dioica) and the small nettle (Urtica urens) are suitable. A warm, sunny day in May is the ideal time for a harvest. Make sure you wear protective gloves to avoid contact with the stinging hairs.
Material list:
- 10 liters of water
- 1 kilogram of fresh or 200 grams of dried nettle
- large vessel made of plastic, wood, clay or earthenware
- Wooden stirring stick
- 2-3 tablespoons of rock dust to reduce odor
- Wire mesh or grating
- Gloves
Although tomatoes are usually watered with calcareous tap water, it is recommended to use rain or pond water for nettle manure. The lower the lime content, the faster fermentation progresses. In addition, the formation of foam and bubbles is reduced.
Uncomplicated preparation
Place the manure container in a sunny spot at the back of the garden. Now layer up the chopped leaves, sprinkle the rock dust over them and fill in the water. Leave an approximately 10 centimeter high edge free. This makes the subsequent stirring easier.
Last but not least, cover the tub with the wire rack without sealing it airtight. For the following 14 days, stir the liquid once a day. If you add a dose of rock dust before each stirring, the smell will be limited. The nettle manure is ready when it no longer foams and has a dark color.
How are tomatoes fertilized with nettle manure?
Nettle manure is never administered undiluted. Fertilize young tomatoes weekly with a mixture of 1 part manure and 20 parts water. Treat older tomato plants to a stronger mixture in a ratio of 1:10. Do not apply the fertilizer to the green parts of the plant, but always directly to the roots.
Tips & Tricks
The unpleasant smell is significantly reduced the more oxygen is added to the manure. Therefore, install an aquarium pump (€10.00 on Amazon) in the barrel. To prevent the device from becoming clogged with plant parts, fill the nettle leaves into a cotton bag or an old curtain.
