Homemade Liquid Fertiliser

[senua]

We've had several discussions about compost but I don't remember seeing a thread about HLF. I've made one this year, for the first time ever, and wonder if anyone has any hints, tips or comments.
I used grass clippings, a leafmould inoculant and rainwater. I know there are lots of other 'recipes' eg comfrey, nettle, seaweed, etc.
I am using a big barrel, probably about the same capacity as a dalek compost bin. Can I just add and add to the barrel i.e. do I need to syphon off, clean out and start afresh after X months or can I keep the evil brew going for longer (?forever!?)
Is a HLF really as miraculous as some gardening programmes would have you believe?

bump

I empty mine every year- I use seaweed, tied up in a bag and submerged in a barrel of water. If I didn't empty it, the barrel would just fill up with seaweed. I use a bag because I like to use the tap at the bottom of the barrel and it would clog otherwise.

It makes really excellent fertilizer, but it smells like nothing else on Earth!

There's a lot of talk about human urine as a fertilizer and it's supposed to give good results if you can get past the ick factor and the fact that it's such an intimate thing. It's a good source of nitrogen and also contains potassium and phosphorus in addition to other stuff.
Those on medication/oral contraception need to do their research as to whether they should use it, as opinions differ.
It needs to be diluted with water and applied to the ground/plant roots rather than to the surfaces of the produce you'll be eating... obviously...

Tying up the seaweed in a bag is a clever idea, Biggly. I just followed instructions to half-fill with grass then top up with water. It only occurred to me afterwards to wonder about what happens at the end...

I've heard of that before, Mamanchien. I believe it used to be a thing, when the gardener was caught short, for him to add 'recycled cider' to the compost heap.

Senua 😁

Adding wood ash to urine is also a thing: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/news-blog/p-is-for-plants-human-urine-plus-as-2009-09-04/

Another source of plant food is bokashi "tea" - a by-product of bokashi composting.

I'm not being helpful with your question, sorry! 😫

Senua 😁

Adding wood ash to urine is also a thing: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/news-blog/p-is-for-plants-human-urine-plus-as-2009-09-04/

Another source of plant food is bokashi "tea" - a by-product of bokashi composting.

I'm not being helpful with your question, sorry! 😫

Senua 😁

Adding wood ash to urine is also a thing: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/news-blog/p-is-for-plants-human-urine-plus-as-2009-09-04/

Another source of plant food is bokashi "tea" - a by-product of bokashi composting.

I'm not being helpful with your question, sorry! 😫

I'm not being helpful with your question, sorry!
It's all interesting! It's nice to know what others do.

We don't produce much wood ash, we have it mostly at Christmastime. I put it round the fruit trees whilst wassailing them.

I tried making it with weeds one year on my allotment, and with borage and comfrey up the next year. It just smelt too terrible, I couldn't continue with it, it smelt poisonous. I just chop borage and comfrey up as a mulch now, it still seems to work ok. Do you notice a big difference with your liquid feeds?