Allan, Your nettle tea that has turned quite black: have you removed the nettle debris?
Your response made me realize another question I'd like to ask. I let my nettle water ferment for the designated two weeks. Then I began using it. I have "not got around to" , however, removing the burlap bag containing the nettle debris. Presumably the mixture is different/stronger from it was at the two-week point. Is this a problem? Is it poor practice? How crucial is it that the nettle debris be removed at the two-week point? What happens if I leave the nettle debris in the container for four weeks? Indefinitely? I'm removing nettle water to dilute 1/10 and use all the while. I notice from the literature that I've seen steeping times range from 24 hours, to 10, 12 and 14 days. I've never seen addressed the consequences of leaving the nettle debris to ferment for periods of time longer than two weeks. Any ideas? Allan Balliett wrote: > > Vere - > > I make and use nettle tea. I make and use comfrey tea. Following > Elaine Ingham, however, has made me question my use of anaeorobic > teas. Intellectually, that is. I still have the same heart-connection > to using herb water than you have expressed. > > HOWEVER, I want to ask everyone: my current 50 gallons of nettle tea > (now down to the last 10) has gone quite black (spent weeks very > brightly GREEN). I'm wondering if anyone knows if I could harm > anything with this tea. I have set up one of Will Brinton's CRESS > TESTS for this tea (as well as for some very black chicken manure > tea) but the results are not in yet. > > -Allan > > >Allan, > > > >I just began using it for the first time in June. My garden looks very > >healthy but I've seen nothing to attribute to the nettle water, positive or > >negative. But I now know what Steiner meant when he referred to the > >importance of involving oneself in one's crop growing rather than buying > >commodities off the shelf. I got the nettles free by the Red River near > >me. I've been able to pot up some stinging nettles and get them growing in > >my yard. > > > >I was impressed and intrigued by Rolf Peterson and Paul Jensen's > >(University of Lund, Sweden) "Effects of nettle water on growth and mineral > >nutrition of plants", parts I and II in Biological Agriculture & > >Horticulture 1985, 1986. Do you know if there has been any follow-up on > >their work? > > > >I find it a delightful experience cooking up my own fermentations. I've > >made some hoseradish water too (same proportions as the nettle water). But > >I don't know how to use it. Next time I'll try burdock water. > > > >Do you know Dr. O.W. (Oscar Werner) "Ben" Grussendorf of Woodlands, > >Manitoba? He is the only biodynamic farmer I know of in Manitoba. I met > >him in 1982-83. He was my introduction to biodynamics. > > > >Vere. > > > > > >Allan Balliett wrote: > >> > >> Vere - > >> > >> What results are YOU getting from your nettle tea? -Allan
