I recently watched a Growveg video about making weed tea (using unwanted plants from the garden, not the herb). The process involves putting weeds in a bucket with water and letting it sit until it becomes a liquid fertilizer. However, I'm worried about using this on my fruits and vegetables since some of the weeds in my yard might be toxic. Will the fertilizer carry any toxic properties from the weeds to my edible plants? I wonder if I should only use it for non-edible flowers like roses, but I'd love to use it for everything if it's safe.
3 Answers
What kinds of toxic weeds are you using? For example, I’d avoid making tea with plants like digitalis or poison ivy. Honestly, making weed tea can be pretty gross. It can smell bad, get too alcoholic, and even attract mosquitoes. Composting your weeds might be a nicer option overall!
Generally, the food plants shouldn't absorb toxic substances from the weeds, since those toxins often break down during the composting process. Plants are pretty selective about what they take in, and huge protein molecules don’t just transfer over willy-nilly. Unlike heavy metals, which are tiny atoms that can get absorbed and hang around in the soil, most organic toxins are more complicated. If you're still worried, why not make the tea from other non-toxic weeds instead?
I saw that Growveg video too, and I wish they’d mentioned this key point: if you just let it sit for too long, you can end up with a stinky mess full of bad bacteria. It's crucial to aerate the mixture by stirring it twice a day or even using a fish tank aerator to keep the bacteria healthy. I even bundle my weeds in an old fabric piece, kind of like a tea bag, which makes the whole process easier!