Nettle: how to use it in the garden

Stinging nettles are often considered an annoying weed - and they can be quite useful. We name seven ways to use nettles sensibly.

Stinging nettles wrongly have a bad reputation because they can be used in a variety of ways both in the garden and in the kitchen. We break a lance for the valuable herb and present you with seven ways of using nettles in the following.

Stinging nettles are found almost worldwide and are either annual or perennial herbaceous plants with woody stems. In Germany you can find the greater nettle (Urtica dioica) and the small nettle (Urtica urens). The many thousands of stinging hairs on the leaves and stems of the plants are known and also give their name. When touched, they break like glass and release the fuel, which consists, among other things, of formic acid and gives animals and humans painful wheals. By the way, the fine stinging hairs are always aligned upwards, so you can brush the handle from the bottom upwards with little risk. The roots and aboveground parts were also used to dye fabrics. While the leaves produce a greyish green, the alum and the root have been used to create a deep yellow.

1. Nettles for mulching and composting

As every gardener has probably already observed, nettles grow extremely quickly in good locations and thus form a lot of biomass. So it's perfect for spreading it as a layer of mulch on the beds. On the one hand, weeds germinate much more slowly or not at all because they lack light. On the other hand, soil organisms decompose the nettles over time and in turn provide your plants in the bed with nutrients. A layer of mulch also means less watering, as the covered soil does not lose as much water on hot summer days as the open soil. In the compost, the nettle acts as a starting aid and thus accelerates composting even more. With the help of the defensive plant, a fertile humus layer and well-ripened compost are created in no time at all.

2. Nettles as a pointer plant

Stinging nettles act as so-called pointer or indicator plants, because they only grow in locations with special properties. Wherever they occur, the soil can be expected to be high in nitrogen. In addition, stinging nettles often indicate that the soil is moist and rich in humus. Typically, such locations are ideal for our high-eating vegetables such as tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), pumpkin (Cucurbita) or potatoes (Solanum tuberosum). The nettle therefore helps to track down areas in the garden that are particularly rich in nitrogen.

3. Use nettles as fertilizer

The use of nettles as fertilizer is well known, more precisely as liquid manure. This means fermented plant material that gradually transfers its nutrients to water during fermentation. Nettle manure is particularly rich in nitrogen, potassium and micronutrients such as iron, magnesium and calcium and can therefore be given regularly as a full-fledged fertilizer. For the liquid manure, it is best to cut the stems and leaves that are still soft and put them in an airtight bucket. If this is loosely filled to the brim with nettles, rainwater is added until the material is well covered and then the container is closed. Now the manure needs about two to three weeks in a sunny, warm place until most of the plant parts have decomposed.

When the broth is ready, you can sieve it off. Coarse parts of the stem remain here, which could not be decomposed. In a ratio of 1:10 to 1:20, mix the broth with plenty of irrigation water and use it to fertilize your little plants - ideally when the sky is cloudy or just before rain. This prevents valuable nutrients from simply evaporating. The mixing ratio depends on the nutrient requirements of the plants: 1:10 applies to heavy eaters, 1:20 or even lower amounts for all others. A more detailed guide to Production of nettle broth and manure can be found here in our special article.

4. Nettles as a biological spray

Stinging nettles can not only be used as fertilizer, however. In the form of a broth, the extract can be used directly against all kinds of fungal diseases and pests, above all against aphids. The cut nettles are only left to soak in the water for one to two days and the broth is then filtered through a coffee filter, for example. Now spray the pests with the undiluted broth vigorously. On the one hand, the animals should be deterred from the broth and, on the other hand, the plant cells should be strengthened. If you want to know more about the natural pest control want to find out, visit our article on the most popular home remedies.

5. Nettle as caterpillar feed

The nettles are an important source of food for their caterpillars for around 50 species of butterflies. Some of our most beautiful native moths such as the admiral, the peacock butterfly and the little fox, but also some species of moths such as the nettle-humped owls prefer nettles as a nursery. It is therefore extremely important to leave the nettles in the garden for these partly endangered butterflies, at least until summer. Some of these species even feed exclusively on the defensive herb - they are so-called monophages. So it is all the more important to preserve a few spots of wilderness and “weeds” in the garden and to enjoy the brightly colored winged insects in summer. As are you the adult Make butterflies a joy you can find out here.

6. Nettle as a medicinal plant

The nettle has been used as a medicinal plant for many centuries. That basic herb has proven particularly useful for water retention, rheumatic complaints and urinary tract infections. The young leaves are often harvested and gently dried in the air so that they can later be used as tea. But the fresh cabbage can also be brewed directly. To do this, you put three to four teaspoons of nettle herb in a cup and pour 250 milliliters of boiling water on it. After about ten minutes, the herb is strained. You can safely consume this tea three times a day.

7. Nettles in the kitchen

Many people distrust the nettle when it comes to eating. Because nobody likes the idea of ​​being stabbed in the mouth and on the tongue. But with a little trick you can remove the annoying stinging hairs from the leaves. After careful washing, you can roll over the hair a few times with a rolling pin, then at the latest the stinging will be over. So you can enjoy a fresh nettle salad without any worries. The nettle becomes a special treat when its leaves are cooked like spinach, i.e. overcooked. But nettles also bring their healthy vitamins and nutrients into the kitchen in smoothies and soups. In addition, you can harvest the unripe seeds from July or the ripe dark brown seeds, the so-called nuts, from October. Dried and roasted, they develop a nutty aroma and are therefore suitable for salad dressings, but also taste good in mueslis and many other dishes. The seeds of the nettle are rich in oils and nutrients and thus enrich our diet well into winter.

More supposed Weeds and their uses in the kitchen You will find here.