Tomato plants are extremely heavy feeders, with nutrient demands that exceed what even the most fertile potting soils can provide. As a result, growers must regularly fertilize these plants to prevent malnutrition, which manifests in symptoms such as yellowing leaves—a clear sign of nutrient deficiency.
While commercial fertilizers are widely available, many gardening enthusiasts are turning to homemade solutions using readily available ingredients from their own gardens. In a recent post on the Gardening UK – Hints, Tips and Advice Facebook group, Lewis shared a photo of a homemade nettle-based fertilizer that his neighbor had given him. He expressed his doubts about using it due to its strong smell, asking, “My neighbor gave me this today and said it’s a nettle fertilizer he made. He told me to use it on my tomato plants. Is this okay? It absolutely stinks, which really puts me off.”
However, experienced gardeners quickly came to the defense of the pungent fertilizer, praising its benefits for tomato plants. Claire Ross commented, “The stinkier, the better. We’ve made this fertilizer, and while it smells terrible, it’s amazing for plants. Tomatoes love it.” Sarah Baker added, “This stuff grows the best fruit ever. What a thoughtful neighbor.” Alison Moore agreed, despite the unpleasant odor, saying, “It stinks to high heaven, but it’s the best there is.”
Lynne Taylor advised diluting the fertilizer in water before use, noting, “It does smell awful, but it’s like liquid gold for tomatoes.” Dee Mosley shared her own experience, saying, “I used to soak nettles in water. It’s stinky, but it’s an absolutely fantastic fertilizer.”
Nettle fertilizer, also known as stinging nettle manure, is highly beneficial for plants and is known for its strong aroma during the brewing process. To make your own nettle fertilizer, soak 28 grams of nettles in 240 milliliters of boiling water for 20 minutes to an hour. Then, strain out the nettles and add them to the compost heap. Finally, dilute the liquid at a ratio of one part fertilizer to ten parts water before applying it to your plants.
