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+--- Thread: Weeding or Harvesting Fertility? (/showthread.php?tid=1573)
Weeding or Harvesting Fertility? - Veggie - 29-05-2022
I watched a Huw Richards YouTube video recently about changing your attitude to Weeding. Not to look at it as a chore but as a benefit.
This is my take on it -
When you cut the grass you use the cuttings as a mulch or in the compost to put the goodness from the grass back into the soil. Whatever the grass has taken from the soil in order to grow is returned to the soil. Just as when a tree loses its leaves in autumn, the leaves fall to the ground, decompose and return their nutrients back to the soil to feed the tree in the future.
When we pull up/dig out "weeds" and dispose of them we also dispose of their nutrients which they have taken from the soil in order to grow. Dandelions and docks, with their deep roots can access nutrients that shallower rooted plants cannot. That's why we grow comfrey, for its deep root system.
We should endeavour to return to the soil, that which we remove so as not to deplete it.
One way to do this is by making weed tea, drowning the "weeds" in a barrel of water and using it to feed and water the garden. I have to say that, having dabbled with comfrey tea and a nettle one, I just cannot stomach the smell of such "teas". My solution will remain "chop and drop", composting and dumping on paths to dry out and then spread around the garden.
The key message, which I shall adopt, is that I will not be spending my days "weeding" but "Harvesting fertility" which sounds so much more positive.
If you want to watch the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jm9FjpWO-0&t=18s
RE: Weeding or Harvesting Fertility? - Small chilli - 30-05-2022
Must admit I don’t make enough use of the weeds I pull. Next weeding session I’ll make into a tea.
Thanks for the push in the right direction Veggie.
RE: Weeding or Harvesting Fertility? - JJB - 30-05-2022
Agree, sort of Veggie, I have a lidded bucket I use to drown weeds. Not for any ecological reason, it's just a place I can dump the odd handfulls of randomly plucked perennial weeds to save me putting them in the green bin which is miles away. To drown all our weeds we would need several dustbins full of stinking stuff round the garden. Not going to happen.
RE: Weeding or Harvesting Fertility? - Bren - 30-05-2022
I make comfrey tea for my toms, cucs and strawberries. and have a nettle/weed bucket but I usually forget about that one and dump the weeds in the green council bin instead
must try harder in future. Oddly the smell from them doesn't bother me.
RE: Weeding or Harvesting Fertility? - Vinny - 30-05-2022
My weeds just go on the compost heap the same as all my other vegetable waste.
That way, if seeds don't get hot enough to be killed it always gives me weeds for compost for the following year! 
(or it could be I'm just a lazy bugger)
RE: Weeding or Harvesting Fertility? - PyreneesPlot - 30-05-2022
A lot of my weeds just get pulled and then dumped on an unused patch until they get relocated to the compost heap - at least it keeps the moisture in the soil while they're there and then I get more mass to put on the heap in one go. I try to get a barrowful, but it's partly because I can't be bothered to push the barrow up the hill to the heap until it's full!
Many weeds get left to flower for insects even though I know it means more weeds in the future. Fortunately I can afford the time to do more weeding and feel that insects need all the help they can get. And they (weeds and insects!) can be quite pretty!!
I make comfrey tea - at the moment it is made in an unlidded container close to the compost heaps which is nearer to a new house than ours. We'll see how nice the new neighbours are before deciding to get a lid
!
RE: Weeding or Harvesting Fertility? - Small chilli - 30-05-2022
Bucket of weed tea made. I did a good mix of varieties and tried to get as much root as possible. Also knock off as much soil as possible. Completely filled and compacted a bucket then filled with water. Had to put a rock on top to keep the lid on. Leaving that for a fortnight to a month. Then feed everything.
RE: Weeding or Harvesting Fertility? - Broadway - 30-05-2022
I watched the video a few days ago and found it interesting. I remember his first few videos when he was about 12!
RE: Weeding or Harvesting Fertility? - Can the Man - 30-05-2022
I have a spare compost bin that I just put weeds in. It never seems to get hot enough to break down, I don’t see any worms either just lots of slugs. Leave them to it. When I have large quality of weeds they go in the trailer and down on the bog for natural composting.
RE: Weeding or Harvesting Fertility? - Moth - 31-05-2022
Anyone wanting to make comfrey tea that doesn't stink may be interested in this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSKcY7znRZE