Features
What Do Organic Growers Do About Foliar Feeds?
Some organic gardeners would argue that if your garden is maintained properly it should have a high enough level of natural fertility so that plants should not require any further feeding.
Every hobby has its perfectionists and purists but few plants will not benefit from the welcome boost of a foliar feed, particularly at times of maximum growth.
Whole Foods
Just as lovers of healthy foods like to eat whole foods rather than processed ones, organic gardeners prefer to give natural whole foods to their plants. Not for them any artificially constructed fertility mix. They are more likely to feed their plants with comfrey, nettles, compost liquid or seaweed.
Comfrey
Comfrey is easy to grow and once established can be increased by division. A good source of both nutrients and minerals it is particularly high in potash and is therefore good for fruit bearing plants such as tomatoes or cucumbers. The leaves are mixed with water at the rate of 1l lbs per three gallons and left to ferment in a covered container for about a month. It makes sense therefore to make a large amount while you are at it. Up-market gardeners use a barrel with a tap at the bottom for pouring off the ensuing brown liquid.
Nettle
For those who don't want to go to the bother of growing comfrey, the ever plentiful nettle is the answer. Nettle feed is particularly valuable in combating mineral deficiencies.
Fill a container with nettles gathered at any stage up to flowering, cover with water and leave the solution for about two weeks. Strain and dilute in four parts water before spraying. Nettles are a good source of nitrogen containing up to 4%, enough to boost even the weakest plant.
The smell from fermented nettles has little to recommend it. If you are sensitive about such things then add a few camomile flowers to the mix to reduce the odor.
Compost Liquid
As most organic gardeners have a compost heap, many of them collect the liquid 'run off' from the heap and use it for liquid feeding. If the heap contains farm yard manure then the quality of the feed will be that much better. Textbooks recommend that compost or dung liquid be mixed in the proportion one part compost/dung liquid to one hundred parts water. As this is clearly rather tedious advice, many gardeners prefer to follow the general rule given for preparing all natural feeds and sprays which is to mix the ingredients until the solution has the colour of weak tea. While exact proportions are not so important when using natural substances, be warned that too concentrated a solution, especially if it is taken from a fresh heap, could damage your plants and encourage disease.
Seaweed
Liquid seaweed has many advantages including the fact that the lazy gardener can simply buy it in a gardening shop. Not only is seaweed a high source of minerals, many claim it prevents diseases, discourages pests and even affords plants a degree of protection against frost. With all those properties, even the strongest proponents of self sufficiency have been tempted to use it.
