Info on Herbal Teas!

I've been reading The Holistic Orchard by Michael Phillips (superb book) and read about using herbal fermented teas as a foliar spray. I ran out and gathered some horsetail and nettle and have started a batch. Using them should increase the cuticle strength of my leaves, warding off the pests of all forms.

But I am thirsty for more information... what other plants can be used? What is the science?

I did some digging online and found a website consistently referred to (www.frenchgardening.com) that appears to be off-line.

Any information is helpful!

Cheers,

Ders

Oddly enough, I have JUST got to the chapter relating to this in Sepp Holzer's Permaculture book that I got recently for my kindle reader.
I think it's required reading for this forum, so I'd be surprised if you didn't have a copy too. In book, it's referred to as liquid fertilizer and seems to be a naturally fermented tea made from just about any plant that seems to have good nutrients you want to pass along.

I'll have to re-read the chapter now, I wasn't really paying attention since I was powering through, just noted in my head for 'later' when I have something other than a tiny shaded balcony to play with.  I was fascinated by the description enough to remember where I'd heard of tea fertilizer when I saw your question. I hope that helps at all, I know my description was very vague.

I am dealing with cedar apple rust on my canes. Testing thieves spray on well plants to halt progression. Going well so far.

Thieves contains essential oils derived from herbs, not fermented to my knowledge.

Intuitively (not scientifically) I percieve two potential active principles
1) Antifungal properties of essential oils like peppermint (herbal)
2) taking up the space with desirable cultures to prevent undesireables from taking hold (fermented)

Anders Hansen wrote:... what other plants can be used? What is the science?

I'm using your question as an excuse for practice at the plant database search at pfaf.org

Firstly I had to decide whether a fermented herbal tea could be considered a plant based liquid fertilizer and went from there.

so I picked the Liquid Feed option on the Other Uses tab but depending on the desired outcome I might have picked The Fungicide, Herbicide or Insecticide options.

...And lo&behold I discover the horsetail and nettle listed