Huh?

My thoughts exactly, hutch.

I looked, and the OP is in France. The translation from French to English may have suffered. I THINK the posting is trying to say that nettles, as well as being a weed that will give you an itchy rash, is also a useful herb, which has applications in the garden against funguses and mushrooms, and is a growth stimulant. I am not sure if the equisetum arvense is oats or horsetail, but seemingly, if you make a fermented tea of it, it is good against mildew and possibly aphids and spidermites. Measurements are metric, not pounds/ounces.

I am sorry for the horrible translation job. I promise to properly translate it and post it again after the exams.

Equisetum arvense is horsetail.

It's OK. Especially if you are gearing up for exams. Good luck with them - in what subject, for what level?

When will people learn that online translators do not work? I get stuff from students like this all the time and I cannot convince them that they have to do the work themselves. The computer can't do it for them.

It's my final year (so these would be finals - end of year exams). I'm afraid what I study at the University doesn't have much in common with gardening. Thank you for your wishes.

Reading French gardening sites I found out that their methods are unheard of here. They seem to use teas made from different plants usually considered weeds and composted and plant associations to control pests and fungi. It's a big list of remedies. I will start translating bits after the exams. Maybe the "local" tradition is not so local after all and I am the only one not knowing.

Greehrs,

Best of luck with your exams!

I have heard of making teas, drenches, etc from various types of plants but have to admit that I haven't tried very many.

The one that I have used, which was extremely effective, was one made of tomato leaves steeped in water for a couple of days and then applied as a natural insecticide.

It worked well, but was on the odorous (foul, stinky) side.

I will have to do some reading to see what else I can learn on the subject and I look forward to reading further posts from you on the subject.

We've had several European visitors, over the years, that have mentioned the same thing: that the use of herbal teas, etc. is very widespread (and apparently successful) in other parts of the world.

Greenhrs, please come back and share your experience.

something interesting:
http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=17188162

Management of Meloidogyne incognita in Artemisia pollens with bio-organics
Auteur(s) / Author(s)
PANDEY Rakesh ;
Résumé / Abstract
The sedentary endoparasitic root-knot nematode [RKN], Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid

and White) Chitwood, is worldwide an economically important agri-pest, reducing the

yield and quality of crops. The traditional method ofRKN control is based mainly on

chemical nematicides, which will not be frequently available from 2005 onwards;

their use is highly objectionable due to their major contribution to ground water

contamination, and dangers to the environment and to human and animal health.

Consequently, new and environmentally safe tools for RKN management are urgently

needed. The objective of the present investigation was to evaluate different

bio-organic wastes on RKN infestation and the growth / oil yield of A rtemisia

pallens Wall. The tested wastes were: 1. Distillation waste of Mentha arvensis

(menthol mint); 2. Murraya koengii (meethi neem / curry leaf); 3. Cymbopogon

flexuosus (lemongrass); 4. C. martinii (palmarosa); 5. C. winterianus (citronella);

6. Pelargonium graveolens (geranium); 7. Pogostemon patchouli (patchouli); 8.

Tagetes minuta (marigold); 9. Vermicompost of M. arvensis, Chrysanthemum

cinerariaefolium (pyrethrum), Tagetes minuta and C. winterianus; 10. Trichoderma

harzianum isolate U; 11. VA fungi Glomus aggregatum; G. fasciculatum. The results

obtained with these different bio-organics were compared with three controls:

untreated - uninoculated, untreated - inoculated and the chemical pesticide

carbofuran. Results revealed a considerable enhancement of herbage biomass, flower

bud and oil yields when plants were treated with the distillation waste of C.

martinii, C. winterianus, M. koengii, M. arvensis, vermicompost of C.

cinerariaefolium, T. minuta, M. arvensis and bio-agent T. harzianum. Least nematode

infections were recorded with the distillation waste of M. koengii, C. martinii, C.

flexuosus, and vermicompost of T. minuta, C. cinerariaefolium and M. arvensis. The

results revealed that these environmentally sound bio-organics could be used for

replacement of chemical nematicides.
Revue / Journal Title
Phytoparasitica (Phytoparasitica) ISSN 0334-2123 CODEN PHPRA2
Source / Source
2005, vol. 33, no3, pp. 304-308 [5 page(s) (article)]
Langue / Language
Anglais

Editeur / Publisher
Priel Publishers, Rehovot, ISRAEL (1973) (Revue)

What I posted earlier in a more readable form. It is a quote from a French gardening google group (I'll post the source later as I have some difficulty finding it now)

In fact the interpretation given to the beneficial power of fermented nettles is related to the presence of elicitors, that is to say products which trigger and invigorate plants defence mechanisms against fungi and pathogens. The juice of nettles would also have
antifungal properties. Also there would be a stimulating action on
hormonal answers controlling growth. Our garden plants
which seem healthy and vigorous in our eyes are always more or less covered with mushrooms and microbes, which we do not see but whose presence is normal. Defences of a healthy plant, chemical ones, succeed in holding down pathogenic or consuming visitors, otherwise what follows is illness, necrosis, etc.
The nettle (Urtica dioica) fabricates an agglutinine acting as a lecitine and as a chitinase on the compounds of the fungal wall. The gene was cloned and expressed in tobacco (Does MP et coll, 1999, Plant Physiol 120,421-432)

Teas and sprays have been used for centuries - even here in America. Though most of which have fallen out of practice since WWII. You could easily find information on manure teas or horticultural teas here: http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?seq_no_115=186318

Likewise by adding nettles, marigolds, lupines, foxglove or any other know anti-microbial/fungal/disease control to your teas (or herbal tisanes). Though I hadn't thought of it until just a moment ago; homeopathic remedies used for people would probably apply well here as well, i.e. nettles often come up as a treatment for certain types of itches as well as others that do not come to mind right off hand.

As for straight manure and seaweed teas? I have used them quite extensively to bolster both field and garden plants with good to extremely positive results - not to mention being a good source of organics.

- beads

I was merely trying to offer an exchange of information (as I am only a beginner) and find out more about traditional teas used in USA.

PS. I am Eastern European just studying in France and for instance the teas traditionally used in my country are completely diferent from the ones used here. Some teas are unheard of. For me this is all very interesting.

Greenhrs, I know I really am appreciating the information you are passing along. I may never use some of it, and then again, I may remember one remedy to use in a situation that nothing else seems to help. Thanks for keeping us all posted. Hope your exams are going well.

I found the source: http://groups.google.fr/group/fr.rec.jardinage/browse_frm/thread/b594d0c8b0dbbe8c/23f809c6401b8e7e?lnk=gst&q=eliciteur&rnum=3&hl=fr#23f809c6401b8e7e

for those who can understand French, there is more information there

There is a scientific source for the effects of nettles juice:

http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=200816

The article is in French and talks about the uses on humans as immunity booster