Infusion of nettle for feeding cucumbers
Feeding cucumbers with nettles is a special fertilization method. Such feeding will give every gardener the opportunity to have a stable, profitable, rich harvest. Of course, you can use various mineral fertilizers and other substances that have a good effect on the plant, but this is not always environmentally friendly and not always cheap.
Infusion of nettle for feeding cucumbers
A big plus in using this plant weed as fertilizer is the support of the natural balance in the soil, because everything that this weed took for its own purposes will return back to the soil and give the necessary elements to new plants.
The benefits of nettle
People learned about the rich properties of the thorny plant in the XIV century. Nettle belongs to the nitrophilic group, it acts as a kind of indicator that can be used to understand that the amount of nitrogen in the soil is increased. Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients for plant nutrition, it takes part in the creation of chlorophylls, which in turn play an important role in the process of photosynthesis. The nettle contains a valuable complex of organic acids, phytocides, vitamin K1, macronutrients.
The action of the tincture
The effectiveness of such a tool is included in the following:
- stimulates the growth of vegetables and flowers;
- fixes the soil;
- actively influences the development of vegetable crops;
- increases the ability to resist pests and diseases, reduces the likelihood of late blight (it is not rare on tomatoes and other nightshades)
- takes part in soil restoration, enriches deep balls of soil with useful substances;
- in dry seasons or in drought kills aphids;
- vitamin K1 promotes photosynthesis.
Nettle contains the following elements: Manganese, Sulfur, Magnesium, Iron, Potassium, Copper, Nickel, Flint, Calcium. Vitamin complex strengthens cucumbers.
Therefore, nettle, or rather feeding cucumbers with nettle infusion, is useful for use in your area. A constant addition, when watering, stimulates abundant flowering and productivity, the stems become stronger, the leaves are enriched with a darker green color. Nettle feeding will protect the cucumbers and attract earthworms to the soil.
How to cook
There is more than one recipe for making an infusion for your garden or personal plot. Cooking is not difficult and there is no need for special devices, anyone can handle it, and all this can be done at home. But in order for everything to work out as it should, and the fertilizer turned out to be really healing and nutritious, the following rules should be followed:
- even children know that this plant can sting and leave trouble, you need to protect yourself by wearing closed clothes, shoes and gloves;
- nettle for bush cucumbers, which formed seeds, is not suitable for us, because it no longer has so many useful and valuable substances for which we hunt;
- you should choose a healthy plant that is not damaged by pests, does not have rot and traces of disease;
- place in a container and pour warm water;
- the infusion must be stirred two to three times a week;
- in order to speed up, it is necessary to put the container in the sun;
- you can add yeast, sourdough, sugar, or combine with something else;
- you can save unlimited time in a plastic container;
- in order for the smell of the infusion to be not so sharp, valerian (root) is added to the container;
- wait 3-5 days.
How to determine readiness
The infusion cannot be prepared in a metal container.
How to understand that the infusion is ready? It will darken and stop foaming. When you have enough weed for you, you need to prepare a suitable container for infusion. The main requirement: it should not be from metal, because it gives rise to chemical reactions that will destroy useful and medicinal substances.
The ideal option is to take a barrel made of wood. But not everyone has such an opportunity, so we take any plastic container with a volume of more than 10 liters. It is convenient if it comes with a tap for draining the liquid.
Addition of other rasters
The infusion can also be varied with other weeds. Many useful elements contain such weeds as: yarrow, chamomile, wheatgrass, shepherd's purse, coltsfoot, comfrey, wormwood and others that grow in such density in and around our gardens.
Nettle infusion can be supplemented, for example, by all known dandelion. It is harvested before the seed appears. The leaves must be crushed and dried. Then mix with nettle and pour into a container.
Processing rules
Timing
Cucumbers are best fed when they are actively growing, as well as when planting, because the infusion promotes the development of green mass. If fertilized during fruiting, then this will not give much result, the cucumber will grow rapidly, but give a small harvest.
Actions
After fermenting, the infusion must be diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10 (one liter of fertilizer per ten liters of water). You can use the following methods: root (watering at the root), foliar (spraying the leaves).
Watering at the root of all plants, as well as cucumbers, is carried out two or three times a week, during watering or after rain, on a gloomy day.
Spraying can be carried out once a month, while the concentration of the infusion is done less often, diluted with water 1:20 or reduce fermentation to one day. It is convenient to place the nettle in the net before soaking, and put it in water - you will not need to filter it. This method will enable you to fight aphids.
Contraindications
Everything good has its own measure, a lot of infusion is harmful. If you overfeed a child, it will not be useful for him, and so with plants. Having brought in the infusion with an excess, you oversaturate the land and crops with nitrogen, and this is harmful. The leaves acquire a dark green color and are simply enormous, flowering begins to linger.
A contraindication to the use of such a tool will also be if the soil is rich in nitrogen, or if it was previously fed with strong synthetic agents.
Conclusion
Nettle infusion for cucumbers is a high-quality, organic and inexpensive product for your garden - saturating your plants with useful elements. In order for the fertilizer to be of high quality, you should adhere to the preparation instructions. You need to give fertilizer in moderation, at the right time, otherwise your cucumbers will burn and not be so prolific.
The bottom line is that nettle is not only a weed in your area, but also a high-quality fertilizing that you can use to your advantage. Growing gherkins will give an excellent result if you water the cucumbers with nettle infusion when planting.