TAP INTO LIQUID FEEDS

This month Joyce Russell shows just how easy and cost effective it is to set up liquid feeds for your fruit and veg

Joyce Russell

Liquid feeds are a terrific aid to growing healthy fruit and vegetables. What’s more, they are easy to make and they cost very little. The principle is simple: soak a nutrient-rich material in water for a few days, then draw off and dilute some of the liquid to use as a spray, or to water round the roots of plants in your garden.

The cool contents of a teapot make a good liquid feed, as does well-diluted urine. But if you want to make larger quantities of plant-based feed, you need to invest in a large bin with a lid. To make the process simpler again, buy a tap and fit it to the bin so it is simple to draw off a little liquid feed every time you need it.

A selection of taps, fittings and drills

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

■ LARGE BIN OR BARREL: Plastic is easiest to drill through. Choose a smooth sided bin if possible, or one that has a large and flat enough rib profile to allow a tap and washer to fit flush against it. Narrow, raised ribs may lead to an incomplete seal that allows leakage.

■ TAP: If this is designed to fit on a bin, it will come with a backplate and washer. If you use an ordinary outdoor tap, then buy a tank connector kit to go with it.