Nettle manure – benefits and dangers. Inform yourself!

We all know that nettle has several medicinal virtues and that it has a beneficial effect on human health. Specialists recommend that we consume it often in the form of soup or tea, for example. So why not give some of this miraculous elixir to our plants too? If you like this idea, read our article to find the easy and effective nettle manure recipe that your plants will love. We will also share with you other secret advantages of this natural product, as well as some risks to prevent.

Nettle: full of benefits

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The nettle manure recipe has several advantages. It is very easy to prepare, it contains only natural ingredients and it is not expensive.

You need :

Preparation :

1. Wear suitable clothing and gloves that protect against nettle stings.
2. Pick the nettle.
3. Put the nettle in a tray and mix with the water.
4. Then put the lid on and leave to macerate for 10-15 days. If it is cold, the fermentation will take a little longer.
5. Shake the tank every day.
6. Open the tray and stir the mixture with a wooden tool. If there are small bubbles appearing, fermentation is not complete.
7. Filter the mixture, removing all the plants so that it can be kept for several months (6 at the most). Storage takes place in an opaque glass or plastic container, placed in the shade.
8. Dilute the fermented mixture. To make a natural fertilizer, respect the proportion – 2 L of manure for 10 L of water. If you want to obtain an insecticide, dilute 1 L of manure in 10 L of water.

Picking nettle using gloves

The nettle is already picked!

Nettle manure is ready to start fermentation

When and how to use nettle manure in the garden?

Nettle manure as a protector

The elicitor is a substance which is capable, in the event of danger, of inducing a natural defensive reaction in the organism. As an elicitor, nettle manure strengthens plants and makes them more resistant to different diseases. In addition, it is a fairly strong remedy against the attacks of insects such as aphids and mites. Nevertheless, there are certain insects that are resistant to nettle manure. These are the larvae that are found inside plants, beetles and shells. Spray the foliage every 15 days and don't forget the underside of the leaves.

A fertilizer for better tomatoes

Nettle manure has all the qualities of being a very effective natural fertilizer. First, it is rich in nitrogen which stimulates the development of the aerial part and the roots of plants. Then, nutritional elements such as iron, magnesium, potassium stimulate the growth of the plant and contribute to the improvement of its chlorophyll system.

Fertilize Tomatoes

Stimulate small plants to grow

How to use it ?

Let's take tomatoes as an example. It is good to water them with nettle manure first when planting in order to fertilize them. Then, during the maintenance of tomatoes, you can spray the foliage every 3 weeks. Take the weather into consideration – there's no need to spray before it rains. If the rain surprises you, spray again. It is recommended to take a break and not spray the plants during flowering. On the other hand, there are plants such as peas, broad beans and beans on which nettle manure has no impact.

A good harvest thanks to nettle manure!

What size !

You should know that the benefits of nettle manure are not reserved only for plants. Indeed, it also enriches the soil, itself by the bacteria, the enzymes, the closing agents and the nutritional elements that it locks up.

A compost activator

The compost activator is a substance whose purpose is to accelerate the transformation of organic matter into humus by contributing to its rapid decomposition. In this case, you can use unfiltered nettle manure or you also have the option of using the rest of the manure after filtration.

compost for the garden

Nettle manure comes to the rescue

A natural weed killer

Do you also see the contradiction? How can a substance intended to stimulate the development of plants be used as a weedkiller? The key is in the quantities. Since nettle manure is an extremely strong remedy, overdosing may cause the opposite effect. To get rid of unnecessary vegetation, you must therefore use pure nettle manure, that is to say without diluting it. As it is very high in nitrogen, it will burn weeds and be a very effective natural weedkiller.

Goodbye weeds!

Nettle slurry banned in France?

Yes, it should be taken into account that the dissemination of the recipe for nettle manure or its use for commercial purposes was banned in France in 2006. It is classified as a PNPP product (Natural Preparations of Little Concern), because its use uncontrolled can harm the soil and plants. However, since it is impossible to neglect its beneficial effects, the manure recipe can be freely shared from the year 2018. You are therefore authorized to prepare it and use it at home, but without selling it.

The risks that nettle manure hides

We have already said that nettle manure offers us a wide variety of benefits that we can enjoy very easily. However, it is very important to also take into account the risks it hides so as not to damage our garden. So don't get too excited – overuse of this nitrogen-rich substance can burn your plants. In addition, we advise you not to treat vegetables with nettle manure, because they capture enough nitrogen from the atmosphere. Excessive amounts of nitrogen can attract aphids instead of saving plants from them.

What to do in case of nettle sting?

During nettle picking, we often get stung despite the long sleeves and legs. Even gloves do not protect us 100%. Fine nettle hairs containing a liquid substance, similar to the venom of certain insects, are responsible for these bites. Fortunately, they are not dangerous, but they still cause an unpleasant itch. You can rinse the affected area. Then remove the hair using an adhesive strip. Disinfect with a non-alcoholic antiseptic and finally, apply a soothing fragrance-free cream.

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