I heard on Gardeners World that mare's tail can be made into 'soup' for fertilising later when it has broken down. Is this true and how do you make it?

I saw that as well,do you know if it came with the methods of how to do it? Do you just add the mares tail and add water and wait.
Maybe someone else can enlighten us?

It was Alys who said this but she did not tell how to do it which is annoying. Hopefully someone will know more! Don't want to spread the wretched stuff!

I suspect that it's the same as using nettles or comfrey. You just put the stems with the leaves on into a container, pour on water, and leave it to brew WELL away from the house, as after a while it pongs. Then, after several months, (with a clothes peg on your nose), you pour off some of the disgusting 'soup', water it down and use it as a fertiliser for your plants.

I do not do it, due to the smell!

Bob Flowerdew swears by this free, organic fertiliser. He doesn't mention Mare's Tail, though - yes, I know it was one of the plants in the 'soup' on the programme.

I think the main idea apart from the fertiliser is that you can then put the remains of all these pernicious weeds onto your compost heap instead of the wheelie bin. I don't think I would chance it with couch grass though. That doesn't seem to mind being drowned.

I have never made soup wiyh Mares tail, but in my studies I found that there is gold in it.

Hey, you could be rich, Bren!

I wonder if you can do that with ALL weeds,and when they are well and truly deaded,then put them in your compost
We can market it as Growsonyou Marvellous Mares Tail muscle building Plant food

water is the source of all life...here on planet earth... add it to anything and you get something!! tea....soup...broth...
Personally, I think making manure tea, or plant soup, or root broth is a fine idea that really works, and best of all it's free and you are recycling. win...win...win! True, you need a deficient olfactory or a clothes peg when working with it...but the effects on the plants ...especially seedlings..is quite wonderful to behold. suppose you would have to be careful to not include any bits that could seed or act like cuttings...but perhaps making a mash of the veg. to be composted will hasten the brewing, pour the liquid through a mesh then dry the mash/sludge...before composting it. Yes, it's a bit of work....but it works a bit!