Fresh pillow case

In a few weeks time the greenhouse will be filling up with fast growing, high yielding fruiting vegetable plants such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. Container grown plants will also be springing to life. Both will benefit from regular feeding to get the best from them.

The conventional solution is tomato feed but for those who like to adopt a more self-sufficient and 'lighter earth' touch, making your own manure tea is the long established route.

Having needed to repair a leak in the container I use, I took the opportunity to refresh my set up. So this morning I filled a fresh pillow case (the selection of which had been fully approved) with some newly deposited sheep manure. Because the lactating ewes are currently being fed a coarse feed supplement their poo is not yet in the form of Maltesers but rather larger lumps which are ideal for the purpose. Generous bunches of nettles were also added. Nettles are high in nitrogen and their roots delve quite deep, drawing up minerals and other sub-soil nurients. The comfrey plants, grown for the purpose, have not yet leafed up, so they will be used later in the season. 

The bag was tied up and left to soak in a large lidded container of water. Because I happen to have some around, a couple of litres of pig uirne was also added to the mix, but this is by no means essential.

In a few weeks I'll fill some empty milk cartons with the brew and add about 1:10 ratio to a watering can of water to provide a weekly feed for those plants that would benefit.

It is not a case of 'the more the merrier', though, because for some fruiting vegetables like tomatoes and peppers it is possible to overfeed with too much nitrogen and the outcome is leafy growth at the expense of fruit formation. This is not so much of an issue for plants such a hostas, grown for their foliage. 

This resulting liquid fertiliser is not, of course, scientifically fomulated as you would get from shop bought fertiliser. But then the uptake of nutrients, whatever it states on the bottle, will vary according to the growing conditions the plant finds itself in.  The main thing is that the 'Big Three' nutrients (NPK) are available to supply the plant: nitrogen (for leafy growth); phosphorus (for fruit formation); and potassium for plant processes, in particular photosynthesis. Plant physiologists might not agree, but for those growing their own this is quite adequate and I have no complaints about my yields or the quality of produce.

Some feel that growing plants 'hard' (that is a judicious and conservative approach to feeding and watering) results in more flavoursome fruit. I'd agree with that. That dosen't mean starving them, however. Its the difference between the ubiquitous imported Spanish greenhouse tomatoes and home grown ones. If you have tried both you will know what I mean. 

Pillow case and contents put to soak

Lid shut - it will be needed