Something for Spring!

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Im just going to pretend that there is a spring time here where the birds are tweeting and the trees are starting to awake, but actually I still have around 60 cm of snow and ice covering the ground (just started to melt today) and the birds are still eating the fat balls!

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I am a keen gardener since young thanks to my granddad and I enjoy to grow at least a few different vegetables and a lot of salad when im settled at one place for a full season. Its very rare that I get to eat what ive planted because I usually leave to hit the road somewhere new after a few months and whoever would be still living at the new garden would reap the harvests. I have created 4 different gardens from scratch in different countrys and taught myself how to keep animals of various kinds and how to make things like wine and soap.

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Its now April and only today im hearing and seeing ice melting for the first time here in Oslo, Norway...

And so theres no chance of making a garden this year it seems, but anyway I want to share a tip that I learnt a few years back that others enjoying a spring can use and this post is dedicated to a magical free organic fertilizer, using..

pixxbay

Everyone knows what these are right?!

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These crafty little stingers are packed with nearly everything a plant needs to have a healthy life, thus producing healthy foods. This is also why Nettle tea is so common and very healthy for humans because they contain all the following nutrients and various minerals, minerals of which I have no clue about :)

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• Calcium
• Potassium
• Chlorophyll
• Iron
• Nitrogen
• Magnesium
• Zinc

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Ontop of all these, they include all these vitamins also!

A, B1, B5, C, D, E, and K

If I see what is in the organic multi-vitamin capsules I take and compare them to a stinging nettle, theres not much difference. Actually there is no Vit. K in these capsules but more Vit. B's.

For something thats found growing commonly in "green" counrtys very easily they are very beneficial to gardeners, home-steaders and people who want to take care of their bodies, to include these in your diet or garden shed is a must. Even when theres snow on the ground they start popping up along the side of brick walls with the slightest spring sun on a south facing wall. You can even just go buy Nettle tea and use this if there are no nettles where you live, and use them exactly the same as if they were fresh. Fresh nettle tea using the baby nettles is just an amazing detoxifying hot drink anytime of the year.

The practical part!

The first time I made this was in Germany at a house share in the counrtyside where we had a huge greenhouse and bees even though somehow the ground would never get better in substance no matter what we tried, it didnt stop us!
We found this was by far the best fertilizer for growth atleast and to keep everything healthy, the results were astounding in comparing the places we didnt use it.
Its so simple to do to make this great fertilizer, some even refer to it as a manure and thats probably because of the smell as it is horrific to say the least once its started its fermentation process.

To do this yourself all you need is:

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• A bucket or any 10 lt+ container,
• Water Always rain water is better for anything in the garden!
• Something to cover the bucket or container
• Gloves
• Scissors

And a patch of stinging nettles in the near!

If your starting a new garden and need to take soil from nature, take it from where the nettles are growing, as they create good soil even if it was bad before they started growing there!

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You can easily use normal kitchen house scissors to cut through the stems and take the stems not just leaves as we can use all of it. I found it tricky with gloves on to do this as the gloves were big and bulky (I think they were blacksmiths gloves?!) Its best to hold the length of nettle over the bucket and cut it to make more fit in the bucket. Once its half full with chopped nettles, the rest of the bucket will be for water and that will be enough to create plenty of fertilizer as its so strong and need heavily diluting.

So now to add the water. Like I said above in the list of things, its always best to use rain water for the garden and a great idea to have a supply of it if you plan to have a productive garden. Rain water has important microbes and bacteria, and has been through natures "system" and also has a near neutral PH level of 6.5 which is also an important factor in a plants life.
Fill the bucket up nearly to the top, just leave enough room for it to be stirred without it overflowing in the future.. Trust me you dont want to have contact with this stuff in a few days time of warm weather!

And thats it! Really! Now like all good things in life, it just needs time now alone.

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It will be ready to use in 2-3 weeks, and must be stirred once every 2 days at the least. Stirring oxygenates the water and starts the fermentation process. You should be adding also if available, a small hand full of compost to add living microbes into the mix which will boost the whole process and end result. You could then even feed these microbes with my favorite - Molasses, or something similar- and wow, after a few weeks maximum you with have the best organic fertilizer that is free to make. Fcuk you Monsanto- Yes this is much better than whatever your best one is!

Its best if you can leave it in direct sunlight to get it done quicker and for it to be covered. I wouldnt recommend just making it, covering it and then going back there in a couple of weeks, I think it would be a waste and you would throw it away.
It needs stirring regularly and then soon a frothy foam will start to appear. My days.. Then the smell.
At-least then you know its going good when it starts making you slightly reach and gag.

After a few weeks the bubbling will have slowed right down and you can now strain the bits and stems through an old cloth or sieve. Store it in a bottle and in a cool dark place and make sure to label it so everyone knows what it is. Its recommended to use it at a ratio of 1:20 but id say try 1:25 first , its very strong after weeks in a warm place.

I also tried once to make a Fish Tea, obviously this was just for the garden and NOT for human consumption, the same principle as above but with raw fish instead of stinging nettles.If you decided to try this, then you will see how much you really love gardening with organic fertilizers haha!!

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And there you have it, a great tip on something free and organic to use for maximum results

Expect more Tips and Permaculture ideas from me, some I have tried, some I hope to try and share with you guys this year and and some Ive seen before in different countrys on my travels and would like to store the knowledge and share it on Steemit!

Big Love and Blessings of Abundance!

I decided 8 years ago to start living alternatively and started to travel in a van although I had no finance at all. I soon realised as I met many others doing the same that this would be my new way of life and that I had no want or need to go back to The System.

I began blogging to store my travels on a blockchain and to share with others especially with the intent to let people see how it works and how to do it all with no money. Heres some lousy advertising for the last part of the blog if it tickles your fancy!

The HusBus Adventures - Valencia

And one of the many ways Ive been living for free since leaving the Van can be seen on this old short post on reusing empty houses and buildings.

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