Macerate of nettle
Macerate of nettle
Nettle macerate is prepared with nettle varieties found in gardens and fields. The nettle that has more properties is that collected in the summer. For the preparation you can use the whole plant (fresh or dried). The main characteristics of the nettle macerate are: it favors the growth of the plants and stimulates the development of the roots and enriches the soil. But the nettle macerate can be used pure against the aphids, spraying it on the parts affected by the parasites (better in the evening hours). It also acts against the red spider. You can use it directly on the ground, to prevent plant diseases and attacks by insects. But there are many uses: it is useful at the time of transplantation as it is sprayed and promotes the growth of plants and the maturation of vegetables. It is very useful for fertilizing, treating and preventing fruit tree diseases. As a fertilizer, it can be sprayed in the vegetable garden or in pots even once a week.
10 liters of water, 1 kg of fresh nettles or 200 g of dried nettles are needed to prepare the nettle macerate.
Pour nettles and water into a non-metallic container. It is advisable to wrap the nettles in a transpiring gauze, or in a cloth or jute sack, before immersing them in water. This will facilitate the filtration of the macerate when it is ready. During the maceration, the container must remain without a lid (it is advisable to cover it with a net to avoid the introduction of insects or dirt and for aeration.) Place in a warm place, outdoors, away from direct sun. of the intense odor of the macerate of nettles it is advised not to put it in closed environments during preparation.
The macerate is ripe after 15 days (and for its preservation, which can last up to 18 months, it is recommended to add a bit of vinegar to the macerate, in an amount equal to 2-4%). After this period, it can be used on the ground to stimulate the growth of plants and as a fertilizer (in this case it should be diluted in 10 or 20 parts of water). If the problem of your plants are aphids or red spiders, you can take a part of the macerate, to be sprayed pure on the plants, already after 12 hours. You can also pour small quantities of the diluted macerate on the compost, to accelerate its maturation.