Fiann O’Nuallain discusses organic-interest research and education in Ireland

I am a GIYer — I grow a lot of my own food — I don’t use chemicals because I don’t want to eat chemicals. Instead I make my own fertilisers from comfrey and nettles. 

I used to have a horsetail problem, but over several years I harvested it out of my allotment and into my liquid feeds — as a herbalist I knew of its antifungal properties which I figured could also come over to the plant world to treat botrytis, mildews, and blackspot — and as a horticulturalist I knew for definite that its silica content would help promote strong roots and healthy stem growth, even on my ornamental plants.

I put two and two together and it did turn out to be four. But I had studied herbalism for four years and horticulture for four before that, so I had the clues to that successful mix lurking in the recesses in the first place.