Are Nettles Good For The Garden?

In the garden, nettle is indispensable as a fertilizer, insecticide, and compost activator. On the farm, nettle’s uses don’t just end there. The farm animals also benefit from all the goodness of nettle as well.

Are Stinging nettles good for the garden?

Because it’s rich in nitrogen, this is particularly useful for leafy vegetables like kale, chard and spinach. You can also cut nettles to lay, as they are, around larger plants or shrubby fruits, where they will serve as a valuable mulch. Their high nitrogen content also makes them a natural compost activator.

How do I use nettles in my garden?

Dilute 1 part nettle tea to 10 parts water and apply liberally to your growing plants. if you continue to fill up bucket throughout the year and you will have free organic fertiliser available for all your garden plants.

Do nettles enrich the soil?

A gold mine for gardeners, nettles are «nitrogen fixers» – plants that can convert atmospheric nitrogen into useful nutrients for the soil.

Are there any benefits to nettles?

Nettle leaf is a rich source of antioxidants, which are needed for reducing the number of free radicals in your system. Vitamin C, for instance, is a powerful aid to the immune system and may even provide protection against various types of cancer.

When should nettles be cut down?

The best time to cut nettles for a liquid plant fertiliser is early spring, as this is when the nitrogen content is at its highest. To ensure that the butterfly larvae are not disturbed it is best to cut in March and again (if you want to) in October.

Do bees like nettles?

The dead nettle has bright orange pollen which give the foraging bees an orange stripe on thier heads. This weed is particularly useful to them as that pollen may be in short supply if there are few flowering trees in your area.

Are nettles good for tomatoes?

Fertilizer for your tomatoes
Because fermented nettle tea has extremely high levels of nitrogen and potassium, you can use it to fertilize your tomato plants every Spring. The mixture will spur growth of your tomato plants and strengthen them so they’ll resist diseases better.

Do nettles spread?

Stinging nettle spreads slowly by rhizomes, allowing it to form dense colonies that can exclude other species. It thrives in damp, nutrient- rich soil and tolerates partial shade, but does not grow well where soil nutrients are low.

Where should I plant nettles?

Choose a spot that has rich, moist soil a little way from any other herbs. Seed in the spring in rows that are an inch (2.5 cm.) apart and keep the area moist. If you started your nettle inside, transplant the growing nettle greens into a prepared garden bed, spaced at least 12 inches (31 cm.)

What animals eat stinging nettle?

Stinging nettles are great for wildlife
Peacock, red admiral, small tortoiseshell, comma and painted lady butterflies all have caterpillars whose only, or main, source of food is the nettle.

Which plants benefit from nettle fertiliser?

This fertilizer works best on plants that have a high demand for nourishment such as fruit trees and bushes, roses, annuals and perennial flowering plants. It works for tomatoes, leeks, brassicas, cucumbers and courgettes. However, it is not meant for beans, peas, onions, potatoes and root vegetables.

Do butterflies like stinging nettles?

‘Nettles are the food plant for the caterpillars of red admiral, small tortoiseshell, painted lady and comma butterflies. ‘It’s important to treat your nettles like any other garden plant if you are growing for the benefit of butterflies. Cut them regularly to get good fresh growth from the nettles. ‘

What is the difference between stinging nettle and nettle?

Stinging nettle is the name given to common nettle, garden nettle, and hybrids of these plants. Originally from the colder regions of northern Europe and Asia, this herbaceous shrub grows all over the world today.

Are nettles poisonous?

Stinging nettle
If touched, these needle-like hairs inject the stinging acid into the skin, triggering a burning, tingling sensation and an itchy rash. Thankfully the symptoms usually do not persist longer than 24 hours. Interestingly, the cooked plant is safe to eat and is popular is some places as a vegetable.

Can you eat nettles raw?

It’s the simplest way of getting nettle into your body, but you can also cook it into larger dishes or even apply it topically if you have a skin irritation. Because the stings have to remain firm to cause the irritation, cooking the leaf instantly makes them safe – don’t try to eat the leaf raw in a salad or anything.

What is the best way to get rid of nettles?

Weedkiller control

1. Neglected areas can be cleared of established nettles by spraying them with a glyphosate-based weedkiller (such as Roundup Ultra or Doff Weedout Extra Tough Weedkiller) which should be applied as a spray in June, shortly before they flower.
2. A second application may be necessary in September.

Do nettles sting dogs?

Nettles can sting dogs’ paws leading to intense itching and chewing. Avoid walking through nettles. Again, this would be a time to use an antihistamine recommended by your vet. Some paw waxes might reduce stinging and soothe afterwards.

Can nettles be composted?

Yes, you can compost nettles. Nettles are considered a natural composting accelerator, especially if you’ve got a “brown“-heavy heap. You can also use nettles to make a liquid fertiliser for the garden – ferment them in rainwater at a ratio of 10:1 for a few weeks, either in a covered bucket or an old fizzy pop bottle.

Are nettles invasive?

OTHER MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : Stinging nettle is considered a weedy, invasive species. It is listed as a noxious weed in several Canadian provinces. Stinging nettle hairs are irritating to human skin, and the pollen is a major contributor to summer hay fever [1].

What’s the point of stinging nettles?

The nettle’s sting is an adaptation to provide protection from predators. The sting causes any predator that may eat the plant or uproot it to stay clear.