growing nettles in pots

Perhaps this is why they were given the Latin name dioica, which means “two houses.”. Tips for Freezing Your Homegrown Crop, How and When to Fertilize Your Pumpkin Plants, Plant Folklore: Myths, Magic, and Superstition. Just remember not to put a fresh nettle leaf on the side of the plate to garnish your dish, or you may end up with a prickly surprise. When I first started gardening, I absolutely hated stinging nettle. Here’s how – and why – you should grow it at home. Another benefit of growing stinging nettle is that it actually can reduce the risk of pest infestation for surrounding crops. Nettle, Urtica dioica, is an herbaceous perennial in the Urticaceae family that is often found growing wild in the understory of riparian zones, on the edges of meadows, in open forests, or in disturbed soils near pasture. A double-blind, randomized clinical trial was conducted in 2016, where 50 women with type 2 diabetes were divided into two groups and one group was given an extract of U. dioica. If you have a friend with a thriving patch, ask if you can dig up a couple of plants in late fall and replant them in your yard. Stinging nettles are a common weed, tough weed to control. Upon contact, the tiny needles pierce the skin and release chemicals including acetylcholine, formic acid, histamine, and serotonin, which trigger inflammation and pain that can unfortunately last for up to several hours. If this article hasn’t quite won you over yet, I encourage you to taste some nettle tea for yourself. Once planted, stinging nettles need to be cultivated to keep the plants under control, as they may become invasive if not managed in the garden. The main consideration is moisture. Just shake out a seed head into a jar or bag. You may have had the misfortune of experiencing the unpleasant sensation of accidentally brushing up against a plant, or pulling one up without gloves. Never mind worrying about pests and disease. Fibers can be dried, pounded, and twisted into rope or cloth. Here is more about what we do. To make a tincture, you can infuse dried or fresh leaves in alcohol or vinegar for use as an herbal remedy. The stinging nettle is one of more than 50 varieties of nettle plants worldwide. Water the plants often to keep the soil around them moist. Never mind worrying about pests and disease. With additional writing and editing by Clare Groom and Allison Sidhu. You can find more tips on freezing herbs here. The Grow Network now offers organic bulk herbs—including stinging nettle—in our store. It’s delicious on a warm day. Males have a stringier, compact cluster of flowers that tend to point outward. In fact, it might just be my favorite herb yet! It is time to see if … Nettles can be grown in containers. You can read more about harvesting and using stinging nettle roots here. Contact dermatitis from stinging nettle?, Garden, 11 replies Barnegat Bay infested with Jellyfish..(Stinging Sea Nettle's), New Jersey, 6 replies News Video, UK hosts nettle eating contest., Food and Drink, 3 replies Plastic Plant Pot or Clay Plant Pot?, Phoenix area, 6 replies This method has been used to reduce joint pain, such as what is experienced by those with arthritis. These are hearty perennials with a tendency to become invasive, so choose wisely. You can also try blending the infused vinegar with honey to make an oxymel, which is perhaps even tastier! Keep in a dark place, such as a pantry. Once plants flower and start to look woody and fibrous, leaves become stringy and tough. In some parts of the US, stinging nettle is considered an invasive weed due to its ability to self-seed and spread through its root mass. Water, as necessary, to keep the soil moist. To harvest, cut back the top third of the plant, just above a node where leaves branch off, which will encourage new growth. You may quickly be convinced, as I was, that this plant is well worth the hassle of cultivation – and perhaps the very occasional sting. I would imagine that if your growing medium had some chunks of decomposed wood chips or bark in it, the nettles would thrive in root pouches. Will it become one of yours? harvesting and using stinging nettle roots here, You can find more tips on freezing herbs here, 9 Reasons Why Tulip Leaves May Turn Yellow Prematurely, How to Identify, Prevent, and Treat Scab in Stone Fruits, A Flavor You’ve Come to Love: How to Grow Brussels Sprouts, How to Identify, Prevent, and Control Common Cauliflower Diseases, Can You Freeze Fresh Tomatoes? Nettles are very common, and nettle-feeding butterflies are quite selective about where they lay - you're unlikely to attract any with a few nettles in a pot. But beware: once they go to seed, they'll send see everywhere and then you'll likely get volunteer nettles in the future. Perhaps the most infamous identifying feature is the tiny stinging hairs, which can be found under the leaves and along the stems. It can grow in full sun to partial shade and will tolerate soil with a wide pH range, anywhere from 5.0 to 8.0. Lightly cover them with ¼ inch (1.25 cm.) Use it mask your smaller stealth plants from the neighbors, and to season your favorite soups.Stinging Nettle: No one likes the prickly itch that comes from a brush with stinging nettle. All parts of the nettle plant are edible and are used by some practitioners today in herbal remedies. No care is needed to keep the plant alive during the winter months. After removing stalks, leave them to decompose on the ground around plants. Once established, it will come back in the spring. Selecting your site with future spread in mind is also advised. It is not impossible to grow them in pots, but if you do, you’ll need to transplant into larger pots right away. 3) Nettle Massive Patch - enough root material to plant out or pot … Nettle does especially well on the edges of meadows, pastures, or streams where the soil stays moist but isn’t waterlogged. It has been grown, foraged, and harvested for thousands of years. Always consult with a medical professional before changing your diet or using plant-based remedies or supplements for health and wellness. It was concluded that nettle could be a great biological control for managing insect pests, and was recommended for use in vineyard habitat restoration and pest management, as well as for butterfly conservation. Common stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is a perennial plant found in temperate regions throughout the world. Choose a spot that has rich, moist soil a little ways from any other herbs. Transplant the started plants in the prepared garden bed, spacing the plants a minimum of 12 inches apart and 1 to 3 inches deep. Just be sure to wear gloves, long sleeves and pants, and closed-toe shoes. You can also cut off the flowering seed heads when they form, which will encourage a better crop next year, as less energy will be diverted to seed production. They grow to around knee height depending upon soil and location. To use, dilute a few drops of the tincture in half a cup of water and drink as a general health tonic. Nettles prefers rich soil with good moisture content and especially favors the edges of streams or nutrient-dense pastures. Additionally, these plants thrive on nitrogen rich soil, so it is a good idea to dig some composted manure into the soil where you are planning to plant. Nettle was once widely … Top leaves picked from the Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) early in the season are my absolute favorite cooked green. In the US, there is a history of Native American use in food, medicine, clothing, and ceremonies. You can also hang leaves to dry in small bunches. To blanch, place in boiling water for a minute or two, and then quickly douse in ice water. In my various articles, I have talked about several fertilisers both inorganic and organic from growmore, fish, blood and bone, Seaweed extract, Q4 Fertiliser, Phostrogen and many more. What is your favorite way to use stinging nettle? I learned, for instance, that it is one of the most nutrient-rich native herbs known. As young plants, the leaves are eaten in salads, boiled as a vegetable or steeped to make a medicinal tea. Plant one to three seeds in peat pots filled with potting soil. Nettles don’t need much maintenance after harvest season, as they are very hardy and spread easily. While the stinging nettle can withstand drought-like conditions after becoming established, young plants need consistent moderate to heavy watering. Seeds should germinate in approximately 14 days. Where. They leaves and … A sure sign of spring is the new nettle shoots that are growing on the perennial nettle Urtica dioica (below left) Urtica urens (left) is the other common variety which is annual stinging nettle or dwarf nettle which I have been eating all winter. The finished product can range from fine and soft to thick and rough. Grow dead nettles by providing a great deal of moisture with … Place the mixture in a tightly lidded jar in a dark location, and shake it daily. A cold tolerant perennial herb, native to North America and Eurasia, is so named for the burning sensation one gets from brushing up against its coarsely toothed oval leaves, armed with stinging hairs. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. We're offering 3 options: 1) Single Plant - which will give you a nice solid set of roots you can plant out or divide a bit to get started, 2) Nettle Patch - which will give you enough root material to establish at least 10 plants in year 1. I just needed to know why my landlord insisted so strongly on maintaining that pesky nettle patch. Squeeze to drain as much moisture as possible, chop, and place in freezer bags or containers. This valuable plant also has long been part of culinary and medicinal practices. Just harvest regularly to encourage new growth, and keep an eye on them in case they start to spread to areas where you don’t want them to grow. Stinging nettle (Urtica genus) is a European native plant that has become naturalized throughout the United States. This is because it attracts various beneficial insects, and several butterfly species. Plant or sow in early spring and summer. Cover the seeds with 1/4 inch of soil, and be sure to keep the soil wet. Males and females grow adjacent to each other, and the flowers are usually wind pollinated. To store, remove leaves from the stems and secure in tightly lidded glass jars. Stinging nettle is easy to grow from seeds, but it can be invasive so it's best to plant it in containers. Frozen nettles are a great addition to any food that would be good with added greens. Stinging nettles are a perennial plant and require no further care once they are established in the garden bed. Yum, that soup sounds delicious, Onwuka, and I would love to try it! I use around four ounces of dried leaves to 16 ounces of vodka or vinegar. Plant cuttings in a prepared bed in full sun. Spotted dead nettles are valued as perennial ground covers for the shade that will spread and fill in a patch of ground that might otherwise remain bare (except for weeds).In warm regions and/or in sheltered areas of your yard, they may be evergreen.Elsewhere (and depending on growing conditions), they are more likely to be semi-evergreen, herbaceous plants. Harvest the leaves of the plants at anytime during the growing season. Seeds are very tiny and require light for germination. Harvesting nettles can sound intimidating, but with a few precautions in mind, you won’t get any trouble from the pesky needles. This herb should not be used during pregnancy, or by those who take prescription medication. Peat pots work great for nettles. You can also sow stinging nettle seed directly into the prepared garden space.

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