The Magic of Weeds in Water

Today's video shares the magic of putting weeds in water for a productive and healthy vegetable garden! It also covers other uses for weeds, what is a weed anyway, and how to deal with weeds that have gone to seed. Happy gardening!
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#weeds #gardentips #permaculture
Video topic inspired by James Hoffman 'The Magic of Salt in Coffee'

[@jobaker7855]

Just bought your newest book. It's excellent, even as a longer term gardener and fan of permaculture there are loads of new tips in there that are so useful. Love the simple, clear, peaceful presentation. Very nice read. Great for dreaming up plans for next spring during the darker months!

[@HuwRichards]

Awh thanks Jo I'm so glad you're enjoying the book!! Hope you have loads of lovely planning sessions🌱

[@etnica1999]

@huw richards..got your book too about a month ago, the latest one. Living in a different climate where the no dig is not very popular ( i live in malta ) i was a bit undecided if to get it or not..but im glad i did..its packed of usefull info and i can use the info still..i have two beds at the moment , im new to gardening ☺ thank you xo much im realy njoying the journey x

[@susancooper145]

I’m so happy happy 😊😅😅

[@MsCherokee70]

💜⚘

[@sushmajoshi8666]

Can I use alcohol yeast for breaking down the weeds? It broke down my bonemeal and cocopeat excellently by growing lots of maggots which then died in the first cold spring rain, creating a potent bioavailable brew.

[@wyfyj]

I did this as a child thinking I was a wizard brewing a plant potion... I knew it! I knew it worked

[@mENTALdRIFTER]

Yer a wizard, 'Arry!

[@RunninUpThatHillh]

Works for humans too. An ounce by weight in a quart jar.

[@mENTALdRIFTER]

@@RunninUpThatHillh which part of the human do you soak in the jar?

[@Lethal_Spoon]

probably a survival instinct

[@InteloPL]

My grandma hated mu guts for doing that, that's UNTILL she relised what I've breved made her plants grow 3x as fast.

[@haileynorris4928]

I use a mushroom bag from a supermarket and fill it with greens from left over from juicing and weeds. I pack the bag like a giant teabag and place in a bucket of water. That way I don't have to strain, I can just pour the water directly into watering can.

[@maryelizabethcalais9180]

Good idea! Tks big bunches for sharing. I'll implement that now in my garden :)

[@katyt7470]

A cunning plan!

[@spilledit]

Yeah right

[@773p]

Excellent idea thank u

[@Nonunusmultorum]

What is a mushroom bag? Like a cheese cloth?

[@DavebotBeepBoop]

Whoever shot this footage needs a raise.

[@lindboknifeandtool]

My god for real. Just a comfortable enjoyable watch. I never notice that kind of thing

[@lindboknifeandtool]

Reminds me of alton browns show.

[@theoryofpersonality1420]

The camera person never gets enough credit. This is definitely better than average.

[@thedislikebutton1907]

lots of slow motion makes it good I think.

[@-beee-]

Thank you for the warning about not using the full concentration. It's tempting to think "I'm giving the plants extra food!" but too much of a good thing could be harmful.

[@HuwRichards]

I understand that temptation completely 😂

[@diger-hs5jp]

@@HuwRichards Just realised I have made a big mistake as all my water butts have weeds in them no plain water for diluting. I will have to source another butt or empty one after it has rained.

[@abydosianchulac2]

I did that with some onion tea I'd just done a quick several-day soak with; nothing's dead yet, but everything's growth has halted. Waiting for the next water to flush things through and see if they carry on.

[@malcolmdarke5299]

This is actually a really important part of medicine! The size of the dose is what makes something beneficial, rather than toxic.

[@AuntieHauntieGames]

I'm not totally convinced that the dilution is needed? Fertilizer burn happens due to the salt-based compounds that are used in commercial fertilizers. Now, I could be off base with the chemistry here but I don't think steeping plants in water for however much time and letting their nutrients leech into the water through decay is going to create any salts your plants need to worry about, not if there were no salts in the plants to begin with? Although now that I think about it, stinging nettles do contain sodium, so that could be an issue for someone using them as a source of liquid fertilizer. Hmm. Probably something you could test.

[@michelleobrien6996]

Until recently I thought of nettle as "that horrible weed that stings". Then my friend picked and cooked some (added to soup). OMG it's DELICIOUS. I no longer regard nettle as a weed. It's like a patch of gold.

[@Trailsend72]

It’s also a very useful fiber plant

[@4thHouseOnTheRight]

Also has medicinal properties

[@SaltyAsTheSea]

What neutralizes or removes the stingy bit though? Also, do younger nettles not have them because watching him pick one up with his bare hand concerned me just as much as him going to eat it directly after 😂

[@hektorsehmsdorf1336]

​@@SaltyAsTheSea the stingy bits all grow out of the plant in a certain direction! If you pay attention to that you can touch the plant in a way where your hands end up pressing the stingies down and you'll be safe. I don't really know what happens when you put them in your mouth though. I remember eating plenty of nettles as a child but I don't remember being stung in the mouth. On the lips yes but not in the mouth... Maybe once their wet they can't sting anymore? But that's just a guess

[@SaltyAsTheSea]

@@hektorsehmsdorf1336 oh cool, thanks for the response!

[@jooooohn401]

FAIR WARNING: Do not under estimate how awful this stuff will smell (like sewage). If you don’t live on a a farm or have a lot of land to dump it discretely, use a 5 gallon bucket and nothing more. I’ve got a 30 gallon tote and I’ve been finding ways to dispose of it without stinking out my yard/neighbors. Truly appalling concoction I’ve created.

[@nowirehangers2815]

Thank you John I did wonder

[@paulcumiskey8647]

I can confirm that comfry is horrific! Within minutes of lifting the lid, my other half declared they must be spreading pig muck in the fields again. And she was indoors with just the window open!

[@g.m.9180]

Stir it every day, keep shaded and it's much less bad!

[@SetitesTechAdventures]

I was wondering about that. I wonder if the process could benefit from some aeration. Like a solar powered air stone to provide some oxygen. Might help break it down faster while cutting down on the smell. This is basically a form of compost tea which can be aerated to speed up the process.

[@buuger]

Mine smelled horrendous and was attracting all kinds of flies. I dumped some biochar in to soak up nutrients and now I can't smell it even when it's open! No more flies too.

[@melissamoonchild9216]

wow the cinematography of this is so beautiful

[@markedwards9247]

Don't forget to position your bucket well away from the house. The fermentation fumes can be ... interesting !

[@g.m.9180]

They say it doesnt smell too bad if you turn it every day, and leave it in shade

[@boglurker2043]

@@g.m.9180Still reeks

[@zanaros2606]

Mmm...mmmm!!

[@katherinegreen-we1ec]

Ooh yes...au de funk!

[@steventhomas4499]

We started putting banana peels in water for a day or two, and the water has become a magic elixir for the plants. They're booming!

[@oztrich24]

Banana peel water is FANTASTIC ROSE fertilizer!

[@PeterKlotz-x4f]

banana peels are full of pesticides...

[@hector5749]

@@PeterKlotz-x4f Not if you are buying the organic. It is only like 20 cents more and well worth it.

[@triciac1019]

​@user-jy8yp3wo6m Some are for sure. There are organic bananas you can buy.

[@jairocantu9777]

​@@PeterKlotz-x4f Not if you rinse them in water

[@trilliarobinson7862]

Starting a new garden virtually from scratch here in New Zealand. One thing I have lots of is grass clippings ! They have been layered into new raised beds, and also used as a regular mulch. As long as the layers are thin, it's amazing how fast the grass breaks down into the soil. And no more filling barrows to haul clippings off to a distant heap !

[@jamal1362]

Mound culture is similar

[@RebeccaTreeseed]

I grow wheat and barley in grassy spots, if grass grows without irrigation, so will wheat, barley, rye, Amaranth, Good King Henry, etc.

[@williamreely3455]

I've done this, and I also add a few handfuls of worm manure from my own worm bin. The microbes in the manure help to break down the weeds faster. I then add the strained "weed wine" to my rain barrel to passively add nutrients to my soil whenever I water - don't even have to dilute!

[@antoniakuyumji6587]

what do you mean by adding it to you rain barrel to passively add nutrients without having to dilute? how does that work?

[@adamnealis]

​@@antoniakuyumji6587I'm guessing the rain butt water is used to water the garden.

[@ladyofthemasque]

I learned a few months back that the entire purpose of a dandelion's long deep taproot is to get at calcium deep down below the topsoil, and to bring it up to the surface. So if you see dandelions all over a yard, you can help reduce them by laying out bonemeal...or turning the dandelions (and their roots) into "compost tea", as we call it over here on the West Coast.

[@based_prophet]

Make sure there not from yard that's round up illegal n give u cancer yea u broke the laws that fact in theory

[@xao6547]

Thanks

[@loginlogic7194]

Dandelion flowers are nutrient rich eat up enjoy .

[@lunizparlein173]

Their roots are great for liver, digestion and gut health

[@fionaprior4143]

So you add roots to the tea too? Good to know.

[@DanteVelasquez]

Nature always provides everything we need 🙂

[@crackedemerald4930]

Not true, unless you go looking for it.

[@DanteVelasquez]

@@crackedemerald4930 That makes it true. Just because we don’t know it's there doesn't mean it's not being provided. We are SUPPOSED to go looking for what's already there, and people have been doing that since the beginning of time. This is why we can witness the miracles everyday created by people for thousands of years based on their discoveries.

[@alejandroc7357]

@@DanteVelasquez agreed. We don’t need fast food/oils.

[@NachaBeez]

Nature didn’t make my glasses…

[@DanteVelasquez]

@@NachaBeez however it provided the materials for people to discover to turn into glasses.

[@saygo-png]

The color grading and camera work is immaculate

[@RayMak]

What if these weeds have seeds and they grow alongside our plants. Got it you explained it very well (update)

[@Many8s]

Hi, Huw, your weed and greens tea demonstration is so encouraging, especially being a simple approach. I used chop-and-drop during these last two months of the main growing season here in Seattle, WA, US, to prepare for LOTS of rain and winter. But this new approach is so welcome to start in Spring plant feeding. Looking forward to this change in my gardening, for sure. Who knew we could love weeds?!

[@brandyhamilton8944]

Huw is great right! Hello fellow Washingtonian- Spokane wa here

[@kellikelli4413]

Look who spreads weed hate (the makers of weed killer) who are also associated with big Pharmacea who doesn't want people to know about the superb healing powers of plants (weeds) 😉 Dandelions especially ....

[@bransonsharp2488]

Tip for anyone out there considering this, you can use a bubble airlock like they use in brewing to contain the smelly air in a sealed container, while also letting it off-gas as needed.

[@stephaniehenderson6631]

Great video yet again, though you didn't put a warning about the smell! Bob Flowerdew was my go to organic, low cost garden advisor back in the day when I was new to gardening- he advised comfrey, borage and nettles plus any weeds you have collected for the multipurpose compost tea and it works so well. It is really heartwarming to see a new generation of young folk promoting these age old garden methods, so thank you 🤩🤩🤩

[@kimhill6101]

The smell yes! Would you happen to have a suggestion on what to do when a layer of mold grows on top? Just stir it in? Thanks😊

[@stephaniehenderson6631]

@@kimhill6101 I skim off and apply that bit which I dilute even more and put around the 5 trees I have that tend to be dry underneath. I try to do it when my neighbour is on holiday to protect her nasal passages!

[@nonpopishchristians]

00:03 southern poke salad lol I had a neighbor who was born in 1938 Ireland & came to the US in 1968, FANTASTIC story, but nyhoo, he was telling me that when he went back home he tried telling his old Irish mother that here in the US we eat the turnip tops 😅 she flat refused! & never did change her mind 🤭 he's dead now but he had the best stories to tell 💚☘️🇮🇪☘️💚

[@Rebecca-nx5ec]

🙏💕🇳🇿

[@HennoS]

Hey Huw, I came across a warning that breaking down weeds this way creates anaerobic bacteria and those aren't exactly the ones we want to add to our garden. The recommendation was to add air bubbles to the bucket. I would love to hear your view on this. The guy from Canadian permaculture legacy explained it in a recent video.

[@amandar7719]

True. That’s the smell. And an air pump in every bucket helps. However, loose covers over smaller buckets and the occasional stir is better than nothing for the average gardener. My teas smell most of the time but, like Huw’s vegetables, they’re strong and healthy.

[@jakubstanicek6726]

The biology that is created in this "weed tea" is very different from what the biology in the soil is. But you dont need to worry about that in my opinion. This doesnt really have an impact on the biology of your soil, the bacteria are present everywhere anyways. What this process does is it just produces soluble mineral fertilizer, not that much different from what is used in classical agriculture. Once the process of breakup dies down and you apply the liquid to your garden, you are putting those bacteria to an aerobic environment which means they will not proliferate nor create any anaerobic environment there. Aerating the bucket just feels like too much of a complication to be worth the effort. I have seen videos talking about how this works by inoculating your soil with biology, but I think thats not true. Only place where you can work on the soil ecosystem of your soil is in the garden bed or possibly compost.

[@craigdonald551]

It’s minerals not microbes we’re after

[@umiluv]

The Jadam book talks about how the deep part of the soil is actually somewhat anaerobic so as these bacteria go down into the soil, they will help break down the minerals in the soil for your plants to absorb. The soil has both aerobic and anaerobic organisms. I have land that is really dense clay with lots of rocks. The oak trees on the property somehow get what they need in that anaerobic soil. They likely utilize both the soil on top and the clay below and both types of organisms do something for them. What the Jadam book really gets into is about how we have no idea what we’re talking about when it comes to all the different kinds of organisms in the soil. We mostly only know about the “bad ones” but they might have other things they do that we don’t understand. To focus only on one type of organism is to our detriment and ignores a huge part of the natural world that plants have evolved with for millions of years.

[@moniquegebeline4350]

@@umiluv Awesome answer. I am fairly certain these aren’t the kinds of anerobic bacteria that are disease causing like ecoli anyway unless you are using manures in your compost also.

[@nowonmetube]

Probably the best video on weeds in water I've seen. Better than the homegrower videos, that says he just used the weeds that he has. Better than Garden Fundamentals who dismiss weed tea altogether. This video explains the separate plant leaves and what they're good at!

[@TotallyOther]

most 100 million dollar movies don’t have cinematographers as proper as the one making this video. beautiful!

[@ourcozygarden]

We did this with our comfrey and stinging nettle leaves this autumn. We chopped the leaves off into a covered container with water and will leave it through winter. It will be a nice brew for the garden this spring 😊

[@fionaprior4143]

Do you just use the leaves or can you add roots such as dandelion, dock etc?

[@ourcozygarden]

@@fionaprior4143 We used leaves because we left the comfrey on the ground. I'm pretty sure roots and all for other plants are fine, and may even be more beneficial :D

[@adamnealis]

I've heard it said that comfrey + water = liquid manure.

[@Saoirse-xt7mi]

@@ourcozygarden It's almost impossible to get all the comfrey roots out of the ground anyway. They go down more than 2 ft! Hope you planted it in a place where it can live permanently.

[@sjain8111]

some people react to stinging nettles so care is needed, a mere touch can cause intense burn 🌱

[@tamaleenyouknowwhatimean777]

I like the idea of the tea verses the dropping the chopped green matter. I get an abundance of pill bugs whenever I add too much green matter to my soil.

[@briannelson3830]

Pill bugs are great for soil keeping know this is old comment

[@LauraStepney]

I just started a new bucket of weeds in water a few days ago and then saw this video pop up today! Such funny timing. I started using this method because I was running out of space in my compost bin.

[@victorkeller1601]

Anyone know of side-by-side trials comparing "weeds in water" to other types of plant foods? Would be great to see how this stacks up to other fertilizers!

[@HuwRichards]

I'm doingthis next year! :)

[@victorkeller1601]

@@HuwRichards excellent, looking forward to the results!

[@stingingmetal9648]

@@HuwRichards Look into electroculture. I just discovered it yesterday

[@jamiejones8508]

I think Which gardening did this a while ago with tomatos?

[@christiethomas6905]

I was wondering the same thing. It would really save me if it was comparable to the other things I use like fish emulsion blood and bone meal… sometimes those things are out of stock for weeks where I live. It’s frustrating!

[@diger-hs5jp]

I tried your banking system last year. Both stinging nettle and comfrey. My plants really shot off to a brilliant start. Every time they are watered they also get fed. This year I have three nettle and three comfrey, and one grass. I have found that the smell is not so bad during the winter, no one is around to mind. If they get really smelly I add some yoghurt.

[@nancyprovost1878]

What does the yogurt do for your solution/smell?

[@black_forest_]

I remember us going to the botanical garden in school and little me asking the guide where they grew the weeds because I assumed they were a particular plant :D

[@luisvaldes4248]

In my property, there are plenty of pecan trees which throw their leaves in autumn. Usually what I did was to just compost everything on a big pile, but a former coworker suggested me to make a big hole in the ground and flood them with water from a passing by creek every once in a while so it rots faster and gets compacted earlier to keep topping the pile until the end of leafing season. I've done this for two years now, and I produce probably around 7 cubic meters of soil per year which i generally use as potting mix or top soil after sieving the ocassional trash and rocks, but I never really stopped to question if it is actually right to do so or not because Idon't if it creates harmful elements to the plants like mould or bacteria. So far my potted plants don't seem unhealthy, but I wouldn't go as far to say they are thriving, but then again, I live in a semi-desert. In case any one is wandering, I do make open bin compost with kitchen scraps apart from this soil I mention. Thanks in advance for any advice.

[@usharaju1326]

Just watching videos with lot of greenery is calming

[@raymond8storm]

Love this information! And I really enjoy you sharing the definition of a weed. You're absolutely correct about it being something. That is not wanted in a certain area but there is a second definition. A botanical definition would be something that has a shallow root system and produces a lot of seed.

[@renamarsland9642]

I use seaweed and garden weeds (in separate buckets) in water. My plants love it!! I just acquired comfrey last fall. Looking forward to making comfrey tea this year!

[@RoyHolder]

Thanks Huw, currently doing "weeds in Water" using excess brassica leaves and silverbeet leaves. Works great! Thanks for the extra information, cheers! 👍

[@HuwRichards]

That's awesome!! Glad you enjoyed the video Roy have a great weekend😊

[@Gkrissy]

Good idea I have extra brassica leaves that I was going to do chop and drop method with but I think I will do the liquid feed as well.

[@deekang6244]

Throw them in the blender and then pour on the soil. Very quick fertilizer.

[@kathyingram3061]

~This is the only video on this ive seen so far that tells how long to soak the weeds~Thank you!~

[@Infiniti25]

Another use for the weeds is to place a splash of water into a container then add the plant material and weight it down and leave it to juice itself. This will be super concentrated so dilution might need to be somewhere around 500:1.

[@ritad673]

The sauerkraut method!

[@egancurry]

I love watching this as if I’m ever going to have a garden

[@djmoulton1558]

What you are calling a liquid feed is better known as "compost tea." Similar can be made in the home using kitchen cuttings and waste in an old juice container. This is an excellent feed for house plants all year long.

[@HuwRichards]

Arguably compost tea is different and created with finished compost and an aerator

[@djmoulton1558]

That sounds more like manure tea, especially with the added aeration. To each his own, I guess.

[@Yogoniogi]

@@djmoulton1558 LOL you really think you know it all

[@oztrich24]

Same technique as manure tea, but that's it. ​@@djmoulton1558

[@Alaryicjude]

I totally accidentally made some of this last year by tossing weeds into buckets and the reason just filled them naturally. I was wondering if I could use it this way so thank you for this!

[@christinebrooks6364]

Hi Huw, some great tips about making your own fertiliser. We have a *toxic* bed & this is a bed we put all our weeds in chopped up and allow to rot down. I got this idea from a lady who runs local short gardening courses & this paricular one was about composting. It only took a couple of months to break down and its now compost we can add to our raised beds. Thanks for sharing and take care 🙂

[@lydiabond5393]

I like this idea. Thanks

[@toddberkely6791]

whats the difference between a toxic bed and a compost pile?

[@christinebrooks6364]

@@toddberkely6791 the toxic bin is solely just for composting all types of weeds and is full of different of nutrients too. It also rots very quickly into great compost for your beds too 🙂

[@lizhallengren5127]

So interesting. Wish I could do that with blackberries!

[@imFurbs]

Water, fermented plant juices & extracts, and teas is all you need. Good to see more people using KNF methods

[@djangodoescomputer]

English Captain America always has the best gardening videos.

[@applesnow1038]

That's what I was thinking!!

[@kristinaalvarez8799]

So… Captain Britain?

[@djangodoescomputer]

@@kristinaalvarez8799 no thats absurd.

[@jordanyeager9220]

So awesome. Doing this using water jugs with caps

[@ChristaFree]

Chop and drop can spread disease. Putting it in water and letting it sit in the sun then using that water doesn't though. The fiber balm go in the compost pile to go back in the garden later. The tip i was taught was whatever you grow put it in the water and let it brew in the sun then water the plants that you used to make the water. The easiest way is to just add all spent garden plants and use that in your garden. Some people use separate buckets for each plant but I don't have time or space for all that so i just use them all ...i'm one bucket. Throw grass clippings into a bucket and use that as a powerful nitrogen booster for nitrogen living plants. Chickens love eating the spent plants from the compost pile too.

[@HuwRichards]

It CAN but for me the benefits FAR outweigh the risks, plus I believe in the health and ecosystem of the garden anyway

[@ChristaFree]

@@HuwRichards yeah, I do too. I live in a very humid climate so fungus can be problematic sometimes. That's why I don't do it so much. I bet drier climates don't have that problem. It's just what I learned decades ago from my grandmother. Lol

[@alexandersupertramp1622]

Thank you for your comment, I was reading them to find what to do with the leftover material. 👍

[@p1nkwat3r81]

I tried this and feel healthier than ever ty!

[@clarejerome7679]

I tried the nettle feed when I first got my allotment in May....but oh my goodness the smell! 😳 I've now left it and it's conjealed in a big bucket.....not quite sure what to do with it but don't want to to waste it.

[@wandasmith6937]

Thanks!

[@hadassahhaman7550]

😊 Enjoyed this video immensely! I tried the jadam method this year and it really works! My garden is all organic so I am willing to learn and try new methods of mulching composting and fertilizing that will enhance growth and production. I make my own compost and fertilizers so this helps. Thx Huw! ❤️ (oh...btw, STL zone 6. Awoke to 4" of snow! I guess I'll be shopping for supper in the frozen food section of my garden today. 🤣)

[@maryelizabethcalais9180]

LOL :)

[@hadassahhaman7550]

@@maryelizabethcalais9180 ❤️

[@amillison]

Wow, beautiful cinematography!

[@HuwRichards]

Thank you so much Andrew!🌱

[@tennesseehomesteader6175]

I have a Honda mower with a bagging attachment on the back and a small garden in the backyard. I live in central Tennessee in the United States I will mow the backyard and all the clippings I throw into the garden. I noticed that the new plants that I planted directly on the dirt would grow but very slowly.. as soon as I started mulching with the grass clippings all those nutrients along with additional water retention really helps the plants grow much faster now. A bagging mower is one of the best things you can do if you have a garden in my opinion.

[@umiluv]

You can also make really good compost using the bagger too. I ask my husband to give me a pile of the greens he cuts during the spring and summer and he also bags the fall leaves for me and puts them in a pile. So throughout the year I make a bunch of compost. I will also use the chopped leaves and the dried grass he removes using his dethatcher in the spring for mulch. Nature provides what the plants need.

[@tennesseehomesteader6175]

@@umiluv well over time that's what I'm doing it's not a compost pile per se but the mulch is still composting over time. And you have additional protection from frost along with water retention being in the garden.

[@tennesseehomesteader6175]

@@umiluv yes you're right I didn't really say anything but mulching and picking up leaves it does quite well also! I need to take advantage of this more admittedly...

[@mysticmeadow9116]

Hahaha. Both my riding mowers broke and I'm forced to mow my 2 acre yard with a self propelled push mower. The bagger attachment is wonderful and my yard hasn't looked better. Mulched around my trees to start and am now expanding to my garden area. I'm 62 and it's also a great workout, takes me about 3 or 4 days depending on weather. Happy growing.

[@ensenadorjones4224]

I went out today and weeded in the front yard. I put all of the weeds in a bucket with water and a lid. Its cold and rainy though. I will dilute this and try it in my garden in a few weeks.

[@______IV]

My mom is Greek, so I’ve been eating "weeds" all my life. Inevitably most people who see us picking weeds in parks and along roads look at us like we’re crazy. Same with the fruit of the ornamental shrub used all over my area Carissa macrocarpa, a.k.a. Natal plum, which make a compote similar but superior to cranberry sauce.

[@deloresgutierrez1350]

Can you post a picture of the plant and fruit please?

[@TheAdventuresofDrewandAmanda]

Took one look at this beautiful man in this amazing garden and Subscribed in the first 10 seconds. 😂

[@julialaw6471]

I've got sand here in Florida 🙄, so I add fish 🐟 carcasses and seaweed in my compost and it works great 👍 (the neighbors aren't too happy about the smell sometimes 😅)

[@melanieallen8980]

I do this too especially for my neighbours. They are not nice!😀

[@clivemorris9516]

Hope it's Trump! 🤣

[@kakaocoffee5366]

@@clivemorris9516

[@Gnarmarmilla]

Marvelous! It’s amazing how much free fertilizer I have been wasting and how ignorant I have been about it. Thank you very much, sir. May God bless you.

[@clairep4]

I'm experimenting using my home made liquid feed in a kratky hydroponic tank to grow lettuce and watercress. Looking forward to seeing how it does! Thank you for the info and inspiration, Huw 🙂

[@cabbageman]

Sounds interesting! How's it going?

[@clairep4]

@@cabbageman really well! They're growing way faster than the lettuce in my greenhouse beds! 😁

[@davidhoogendijk6675]

Never thought of that, clever.

[@EkanVitki]

@4:41 - that thistle is Sow Thistle... which I love to eat. I encourage them in my garden, collect the seeds from around and sprinkle where I can. I cook them like you would chard.

[@realwmm]

Great video. What do you do with the weeds after you've soaked them? (Are the seeds going to be dead by then so it will now be safe to compost the weeds?)

[@SCWatches]

Moving in to a time of food shortage I have just discovered the value of nettles. Seeds full of nutrients. Spring time leaves make a great tea. Seeds are prolific now, early August in the UK.

[@romeohosang9518]

Very good information, as usual, Thanks!... There are some questions about this one: what about odors? Is the liquid too stinky? What about "critters"? Not about the microorganisms, but maybe something like snails, or anelids? Does everything really melts or dessintegrates as a broth, or there are residues on the bottom as fibers? Is it safe to throw it to the compost bin, the seeds won't sprout... will be completely dead , isn't it? What about adding not fresh material such as wood sticks (I don't have a chopper and they do not compost easily in the compost bin...)

[@evrythingis1]

No reason to ask questions, this method doesn't word. Just use compost.

[@TofferJ-UK]

It’s quite a nice sunny day here in Nottinghamshire! I’ve been chopping and dropping, raking and chopping leaves and out to weed shortly, I’ll grab a bucket Huw 😂👍

[@HuwRichards]

Sounds great! And productive🌱 Beautiful day here in Wales too

[@sandram5664]

Do any of the plant diseases, like Cercospora on dock or beet leaves, remain viable after the soaking period?

[@kaitopet8048]

Dang I just asked the same question seems like it's not gonna get answered

[@juniekalu9340]

So proud of you Huw! You have really flourished all these years. I learn something new each time. Thank you so much. 😊

[@spiritandtruth8171]

Huw, is it better to leave the ferments in full sun or in the shade ? How often do you stir ? Any worries about anaerobic bacteria? Thanks - and luv your channel BTW !!

[@sparkysmalarkey]

If you ever fear that, Oxygen will kill them. Hitting it with a good air stone for 12-24 hours will eradicate any anaerobes.

[@oceansunrisestudio]

Comfrey is great for making liquid fertilizer too. Thats what I use. Happy plants! Thanks for sharing!!!

[@gillianpoole2758]

Hi Huw. I've been using the chop-and-drop method at my little allotment for a year and really notice the difference! I make Comfrey tea(stinky!) but now want to soak weeds, brilliant idea! What water barrels do you use please? They look the perfect size (I only have a half plot). Thank you!

[@fionaprior4143]

I got mine from restaurants and farms... mayonnaise and animal feed containers. Lotta mayo!

[@Curuna2019]

THIS GUY IS LIVING MY DREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@BeverleyMatthee]

I have a similar method to make compost for my garden with kitchen waste. I have a rotation of many 5 liter buckets(with lids), keeping one in the kitchen to collect scraps of food and vegetables. When full, I remove it to the garden, top up to the brim with water and close the lid. After a month or two, I typically have around 10 buckets full of putrid, rotting matter which I then work well into an empty vegetable bed, topped with a good heap of grass(both freshly pulled and some older) to create a nice blanket. I find this process to be so much less work than other compost methods, and rather quick, too!

[@PatoxMaia]

Hello Huw, Thanks for sharing those tips. How do you test it in order to know if the liquid is ready or not? I did a batch with nettles months ago, but after like a month I could not handle how it stunk. I used it all, but I have no idea what the end product nutrients looked like. cheers

[@didbiddy3480]

I love the editing of this video.... very English and very well done

[@mitchellpittman8101]

Hey Huw! Thanks for this informative video. Curious - are you ever worried about your water weed fertilizer becoming anaerobic and negatively effecting your soil/ plants... Someone mentioned this to me as I was letting my natural fertilizer sit for a while Thanks for your feedback!

[@samappleby1297]

wow. I was hunting for this information on the internet and then I saws this! Thankyou Huw.

[@Slipperypuffin]

Ah yes, weed water. Not to be confused with a "bong".

[@MyBeautifulHealth]

Okay-but-will bong water help my plants, too?

[@feelinguru-vywiththepaingu9808]

It looks like bong water. LOL

[@jrobbin24]

I have used bong water in small doses without incident hoping it would be helpful but after researching apparently it can cause infections in the plant

[@missmartamc]

Hello, thank you for this video. I do this and it is a very good system. I followed your link to your blog as I wanted to read about clearing a yard full of weeds or a lawn full of grass, but it evidently is a broken link. Is there another? Thank you

[@valeriehowden471]

I usually have tons of weeds in containers for the city composting program. With rain water, they brew up some great soupy mixtures which I have been draining off before pickup. In 2023, I'll save 1 bucket and see how it goes. Just got 6 inches of snow so the garden is asleep.

[@KAPNESNAY]

It's extraordinary to use existing leaves to be used as compost, healthy greetings and greetings of success always...🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤

[@uniworkhorse]

Huw, I watched your video in the "worst scenario possible" with subtitles at 240p. Despite that, your video was so engaging writing-wise and story-wise that I had to know more; I strive to make videos like this! I really appreciate how you gave us some necessary context then proceeded to give actionable instructions. I find it super helpful when teachers tell you the why and not just "because it works". I'm not into gardening, but the way you made it accessible while technical enough to keep it interesting l certainly made me consider it 🙂 TL;DR good vid, will make weed juice 🥶

[@P1xelat3d89]

Nettle and dandelion make nutritious teas too! I save them for that purpose, but this was a very interesting & informative video

[@goawayray]

I'd much rather use compost. I tried the jadam technique, but found that the container smelled to high heaven and was a mosquito breeding ground. In theory it sounds great, but as an urban gardener I don't have the open space for it.

[@revimfadli4666]

Could mosquito larvae-eating fishes work?

[@goawayray]

@@revimfadli4666 I have no experience with fish. Try it and let me know. :)

[@revimfadli4666]

@@goawayray apparently some people put bettas in bathtubs and other standing water containers to eat them lol

[@oztrich24]

​@@revimfadli4666Probably not enough room or oxygen for mosquito fish to live.

[@Fight420]

Sprinkle BT in there maybe?

[@sahej6939]

I make green smoothies (with nettles, dandelions, milk thistles, etc) and always rinse out the container 🫙 in my garden. I notice everything grows better with the green juice.

[@ZussieMakesit]

So cool to see that God made everything for our good, sometimes we just don’t know it and have thought it’s weeds!!! ( I will also reflect what things I have labeled bad in my everyday life and see how they can be for my good!)

[@canadiangemstones7636]

So sad, but god and stinky water have been debunked by science.

[@ludwigvonmiseswasright4380]

The peaceful can-do presentation of this video is in direct contrast to the world-is-ending presentation of an end to mega farming and manufactured fertilizers. We are not helpless. In fact, we could all have a pleasant day in our own gardens, creating fertilizer with not much more effort than simply planning ahead.

[@duckysgarden]

Dandelion not a weed, yes. I love them I grow them intentionally all around my garden and I pick leaves to feed to my pet geese :)

[@PurringMyrrh]

And bread and fry the buds/flowers to put over a salad of the greens. 😍

[@Mookle123]

Good to know this actually works! On a whim, I once experimented with something like this with japanese knotweed, and it nearly killed some PawPaw plants I watered it with.

[@michelleobrien6996]

You really should include a warning about the AWFUL STINK of rotten weeds in water🥵🥵🥵🥵

[@williammatthews7735]

He did say it was fermenting.

[@ronanobrieno]

Thanks for this enlightened view of these plants

[@JardinFoto]

Your recipe for weed feed is basically anaerobic digestion of the plant matter. Nothing wrong with that, except it stinks! I also make an aerobic compost tea using a fish tank aerator. A little more work but it takes less time and doesn't smell bad. I'd be interested to know which if the two methods is better in terms of nutrient availability to the plants.

[@vincechristianmanlunas6945]

Is it the same process as shown on the video but with the aerator?

[@HumanitarianCentipede]

weeds? that was my salad!

[@nickc4276]

this is a great video and a technique that works great. I've been doing this for years. All plants love it.

[@markcoren2842]

Thanks so much for this! Later today I'm going to be gathering about 40 kg of green waste that I can't just drop. This will put it to a great use instead of filling the landfill.

[@13sixth]

I always share my leftover tea with my houseplants, and they love it. Now I’ll expand

[@HeyYouSA]

I started throwing ground ivy and other random weeds from my lawn and beds into a bucket of water. Plants seems to really enjoy the juice.

[@magdalenagaton2737]

Thank you for the tips warm greetings from Australia am going to my back yard to imitate what your showing

[@StellaAsh]

Nettle tea is very nice too - it has a nutty flavour - use only the young tops though - steamed nettles are good if you haven't got any traditional greens - I often put a few dandelion leaves into a mild leaf salad too -

[@nervouss]

It would be very interesting if someone did a side by side grow comparison using no fertilizer and this liquid fertilizer

[@JamesMadisonsSpiritAnimal]

Ok so it's basically a updated resource efficient JADAM. Fascinating! Absolutely going to try this!

[@8Jory]

I use a watering can for this stuff that I got for the kids years ago for the beach. It's meant for sand and anything else a kid will throw in it so it has larger holes and the end is just a cap that pops off if you need to clean it.

[@Dr.mirjammesso]

Loved this. Will look at my weed as free fertilizer now 😊 Thank you!

[@magdcs]

Thank you. I love you. I know it's all of a sudden, but I love you. Looking forward to trying with my garden. ❤❤

[@kkon5ti]

Holy is this garden beautiful