Tomato plants need a lot of nutrients to grow healthily and produce fruit compared to other crops – and it turns out that the main ingredient to make the best fertiliser is hiding in your garden
Tomato plants are notoriously nutrient-hungry, requiring a level of sustenance far beyond what even the richest potting soils can offer, prompting growers to regularly fertilise these voracious veggies. Neglecting their dietary needs leaves plants malnourished and flaunting nutrient deficiency symptoms, such as leaves yellowing – a clear distress signal from underfed tomatoes.
While commercial plant food options abound, garden enthusiasts are whipping up homegrown nourishment concoctions, using ingredients that may be lurking in the back garden. In a social media revelation, Lewis took to the Gardening UK – Hints, Tips and Advice Facebook group with a snapshot of a homemade nettle-based fertilizer gifted by his neighbour.
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It prompted him to inquire: “My neighbour gave me this today and said it’s nettles fertiliser that he’s made.” He continued, expressing his doubts due to the stench: “He said to use it in my tomato plants. Is this ok? It absolutely stinks which really puts me off using it.”
Green-thumbed followers were quick to sing praises for the pungent potion, touting its virtues for bolstering tomato health, reports the Express.
Claire Ross advocated for the homebrew’s olfactory assault, commenting: “Stinkier the better. We’ve made this fertiliser and it smells awful but it’s amazing for plants. Tomatoes love the stuff.”
Sarah Baker extolled its fruit-boosting properties: “This stuff grows the best ever fruit. What a thoughtful neighbour.” Alison Moore agreed, albeit not without grimacing at the potent whiff: “Oh it stinks to the high heaven but it’s the best there is.”
Lynne Taylor advised: “Dilute it in water before using it. It does smell god awful but it’s like liquid gold to tomatoes.” Dee Mosley revealed: “I used to soak nettles in water, stinky but absolutely fantastic fertiliser.”
Nettle garden fertiliser is also dubbed stinging nettle manure, owing to its nourishing properties for plants and likely a nod to its pungent aroma as it brews.
To concoct your own nettle fertiliser, immerse 28g of nettles in 240ml of boiling water for 20 minutes to an hour, then sieve out the nettles and consign them to the compost heap. Conclude by diluting the concoction one part fertiliser to 10 parts water, and it’s primed for application.
