When I first started gardening, I absolutely hated stinging nettle. In a study by David James, associate professor of entomology at Washington State University, from 2011 to 2013 researchers monitored beneficial insect populations in U. dioica patches at three locations in the Yakima Valley. Be conscious about what you are doing. Nettle can be planted using five different scenarios. You’ll need about one cup of liquid nettle rennet per gallon of milk. Let it sit for about a month and then strain. NOTE Do not use while pregnant or breastfeeding without consulting your doctor. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The seedlings can be transplanted in early spring and should be started approximately six weeks prior to transplant. The refrigerator works well for … The time that you sow the seeds of Lamium is dependent upon the species that you are growing; Yellow ones should be sown in autumn; purple or white species should be sown in the spring. A very hearty plant, this herb will do well in a variety of climates and conditions. They can grow to 4 feet high in rich soil. Become an Affiliate| Private Label Seeds | Contact Us. To store, remove leaves from the stems and secure in tightly lidded glass jars. As young plants, the leaves are eaten in salads, boiled as a vegetable or steeped to make a medicinal tea. – you might realize that you already have some growing nearby that you can dig up and transplant to your garden. How to Grow Black Elderberry by Seed Indoors. See our complete herb growing guide here. Heather is a certified permaculture designer and student herbalist. Its crunchy texture is much loved in salads, while the flavor it gives out in soups and stews is much welcomed! Buy heirloom herb seeds here and start today! You can find more tips on freezing herbs here. The stinging nettle is one of more than 50 varieties of nettle plants worldwide. Pick a place where you are certain that you want them, perhaps not directly next to your veggie patch! Expect stinging nettle to grow in most areas that are fairly moist. The best time to harvest nettles is the first few weeks of spring when the leaves … Most people grow lamium from a few nursery plants. Their flavor has been described by TV Chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall as “irrefutably green,” somewhere between spinach, cabbage, and broccoli, with a unique hint of nettliness: a sort of slight, earthy tingle in your mouth.”. Has medicinal and culinary uses. 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. Gardener’s Path and Ask the Experts, LLC assume no liability for the use or misuse of the material presented above. I just needed to know why my landlord insisted so strongly on maintaining that pesky nettle patch. I gather stinging nettle in the wild, but not seed, just young … However, select your location carefully as nettles are very hardy and can spread quickly with the right conditions. When you plant them, use a seed starting mix and put 1 or 2 seeds in each pot. It has been grown, foraged, and harvested for thousands of years. Stinging nettle root for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) Stinging nettle root is used widely in Europe to treat BPH and for reducing enlarged prostate, prostate cancer prevention, and helping urination in older men. I didn’t grow up eating much okra myself, but I have grown to love it as an adult, especially in Indian subzi recipes. apart. In fact, it might just be my favorite herb yet! Before freezing, you’ll want to blanch the leaves to remove the sting. You can also make nettle tea and cream of nettle … Pinch all but the top set of leaves off the stem and then place the stem in a clear glass with water. If you’re interested in growing other medicinal herbs, you’ll need these guides next: © Ask the Experts, LLC. The earliest way to start nettle, in a grow season, is by starting seeds indoors. Be careful when handling the nettle plant because touching it can cause an allergic rash. COPYRIGHT © 2020 ASK THE EXPERTS LLC. In the spring, broadcast seeds and press them lightly into the soil or cover with a very thin layer of soil, only about 1/4 inch at most. Some of these links may be affiliate in nature, meaning we earn small commissions if items are purchased. It is commonly found in the Safe Shallows and sometimes in the Grassy Plateaus or Mushroom Forest. Seeds are also dispersed in the droppings of cattle deer and magpies. The cuttings should be between 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm. Always consult with a medical professional before changing your diet or using plant-based remedies or supplements for health and wellness. Nettle seeds are tiny, light dependant germinators that can be started indoors or out. What is your favorite way to use stinging nettle? In fact, stinging nettle attracts a variety of beneficial insects and butterfly species. Though seen by many as an irritating weed, nettles have been appreciated by foragers for a long time, and they are so much more than just a menace to be wary of. It is safe for almost everyone, has a plethora of uses, and is actually quite delicious. anyone tyr to grow baby nettles this time of year from seed in the green house..think ill try it…mabe have some tender greens … Heirloom Organics makes gardening easy. Stinging nettle is also easy to grow from a cutting. Today, it is still commonly used as a textile similar to hemp or flax. Now I feel confident I can care for mine! These are hearty perennials with a tendency to become invasive, so choose wisely. It flowers tiny, fuzzy white blooms in the spring and summer, and self-seeds in the fall. This will return nutrients to the soil, and the added mulch layer will help retain moisture in the spring. To make a tincture, you can infuse dried or fresh leaves in alcohol or vinegar for use as an herbal remedy. Infused vinegar can impart a pleasant flavor when used in cooking. gratitude for your info. Once you’ve harvested the greens, you can use them as you would any leafy green. Attracts butterflies. Yum, that soup sounds delicious, Onwuka, and I would love to try it! You’ll recognize them by their upright and rigid stems. You can read more about harvesting and using stinging nettle roots here. Leaves, roots, and seeds have all been used medicinally, and each has different applications. 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. 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, 5 of the Best Hori Hori Knives for Gardeners, Your Guide to Fall and Spring Perennial Cutbacks and Pruning, Laugh Your Way Through Chicken Husbandry with “The Chicken Chick’s Guide to Backyard Chickens”, Spice Up Your Garden with Fall Decor: Decorating Ideas for Autumn, How to Grow and Care For Sweet Pea Flowers, How to use Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to Control Insect Pests, How to Attract Purple Martins to Your Garden. Perhaps the most infamous identifying feature is the tiny stinging hairs, which can be found under the leaves and along the stems. Also, make sure the soil the seeds … Stinging nettle occurs from sea level to subalpine elevations. Nettles can be assisted with stratification, but it is not necessary. Stinging nettle has been used for hundreds of years to treat painful muscles and joints, eczema, arthritis, gout, and anemia. Stinging nettle is so easy to grow that one might argue it’s too easy to grow. Throw them in soups, pasta, stir fries, stews, or omelets. A misnomer about this plant is the description ‘nettle’, as coleus belongs to the labiatae and not to the family of nettles, which is Urticaceae. With additional writing and editing by Clare Groom and Allison Sidhu. It recommended to find a permanent spot with rich, moist conditions a little away from (or on the periphery of) your other herbs. It spreads by vigorous creeping rhizomes, and often forms dense clusters. In the 80’s, we used to go into the wild in search of stinging nettles. (7) Local occurrence (where, how common) Stinging nettle is a common understory component of riparian communities and also occurs in and adjacent to marshes … Nettle is a hardy and sprawling herb that can grow up to four feet in height. Keep the soil moist throughout the spring until you are done harvesting, after which time the plants will usually take care of themselves. It has toothed opposite leaves along the stems, which are almost heart shaped, and very small flowers. Use 1-2 teaspoons daily in your warm nettle infusion or as a tasty spread. Space seedlings about 8 inches apart. Using nettle seed. Nettle plants are dioecious, which means they only produce either male or female flowers, not both. Want to grow culinary and medicinal herbs? If you want, you can incorporate some leaf mulch around the plants to help retain moisture during dry spells. I just could not understand why anyone wanted this plant around. Stinging nettle is great for creating carbon for your compost, makes great dried animal fodder, attracts beneficial pollinators, and improves your soil. Growing herbs is easy and fun! For food and making herbal remedies, harvest the foliage when the stems looks juicy, before flowering. This method has been used to reduce joint pain, such as what is experienced by those with arthritis. Just be sure to wear gloves, long sleeves and pants, and closed-toe shoes. This teeny little geometric looking seed cluster is a close up of stinging nettle seeds. If you are concerned about spreading, consider confining it to containers. The flavor is sweet and salty, with a pleasant, earthy taste. I am now a complete convert. HARVESTING Males and females grow adjacent to each other, and the flowers are usually wind pollinated. Grow indoors right now with the Complete Micro Greens Growing Kit or the Micro Greens Seed Pack. Before you harvest, consider which varieties you might want to save seeds from so that your harvesting practice includes plants chosen for seed saving. Around 200 to 400 beneficial insects flock to nettle plants, which is impressive. I’m also preparing a new nettle patch in my ‘forest garden.’ I’ve raked up an area and plan to transplant one nettle plant. Nettles prefers rich soil with good moisture content and especially favors the edges of streams or nutrient-dense pastures. If you’re using fresh leaves, it’s best to chop them and use about eight ounces of leaves to 16 ounces of liquid. After removing stalks, leave them to decompose on the ground around plants. 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. Have you ever thought about growing your own tea garden? According to Maria Noel Groves, author of “Grow Your Own Herbal Remedies,” one cup of tea infused for 4-12 hours contains “approximately 500 milligrams of calcium in a highly bioavailable form,” meaning it is easy for the body to absorb and put to use. If direct sowing, seed in spring and thin as desired and plant rows 1" apart. we just harvested a lot of nettle seed and are now dehydrating them in our NESCO dehydrator. They can be grown in either a … Dried Nettle ‘Super’ Powder. 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. Drinking it reminds me of sitting in a peaceful forest. If you want to grow some, these seed heads will provide hundreds of seeds. But, this perennial, often grown from herb seeds, is used as a medicinal herb, and it is used in the kitchen as … To use, dilute a few drops of the tincture in half a cup of water and drink as a general health tonic. Or, why not find them in the woods? Nettle Seeds: Tiny but Mighty. You know your way around the Nettle plant. The Super Food Garden is the most nutrient dense garden you can build and everything you need is right here in one pack. There’s one way to find out! Insects found included predatory bugs, predaceous flies, parasitic wasps, and native bees. The study concluded that the extract may decrease cardiovascular risk factors and other complications in patients with type 2 diabetes. Be sure to wear gloves when collecting to avoid the 'sting' delivered by tiny hairs on the leaves and stem. Although it has pretty flowers and is available in several different cultivars that work well in landscaping, it can also make quite a nuisance of itself through rampant spread. Although this particular recipe calls for store-bought nettle tea bags, I substitute those with a handful of fresh leaves from my own garden, or a smaller quantity of home-dried leaves. Frequently, I would be out peacefully weeding my beds and daydreaming – until I was jolted back to earth by an unexpected sting, the effects of which could last for hours. Perennial growing to 100cm. How about your own home-grown, tax-free tobacco? Plants are covered in small hollow hairs that produce a stinging sensation, irritation and discomfort when in contacted with skin; the stinging hairs can be neutralized by drying or cooking. Start this method of coleus propagation by finding a mature coleus plant. Do not harvest when flowering. The quick and convenient step by step guide to growing your Stinging Nettle seeds! Here is more about what we do. They can be used to make a fresh nettle soup, added to stews, used in baking, or simply sauteed in a little butter and garlic as a side dish. I highly recommend Groves’s book, which is available from Amazon, if you want to learn more about how to use common plants as herbal remedies. The Three Sisters Garden was the first example of companion planting in Native American culture. Over the winter the foliage will die back and the plants will go dormant, reemerging in spring. You can also hang leaves to dry in small bunches. Space plants approximately 8" apart. Seeds should germinate in approximately 14 days. Harvesting nettles can sound intimidating, but with a few precautions in mind, you won’t get any trouble from the pesky needles. They will spread quickly, once they become established. Stinging nettle persists in northern climates, spreading vegetatively rather than by seed. SAVING SEEDS. Carefully collect spiny leaves before plant flowers in spring and early summer. Then cut the paper into small squares that you insert into your planting trays. Some people purposely sting themselves to encourage the release of an anti-inflammatory response. One of my favorite recipes is this iced fennel and nettle tea from our sister site, Foodal. Males have a stringier, compact cluster of flowers that tend to point outward. Fast growing. Females can be identified by dense, heavy flower clusters that may look like they are pulling the plant down. Keep in a dark place, such as a pantry. In the US, there is a history of Native American use in food, medicine, clothing, and ceremonies. Have a high nutrient vegetable garden on your windowsill this week! 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. When you see action in the seed, take a sharp knife and puncture the paper near the seed so that it doesn't struggle to get through the paper. The nettle leaves are extremely high in nutrients and make a delicious tea. Plants can later be thinned to an inch apart. Just bundle up six or seven stems, and hang them in a dry, dark place with good air circulation. If starting indoors, sow in flats in late winter and transplant in early spring. 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. In Germany it was used during the first half of the 20th century, often combined with cotton to make undergarments, stockings, and fabrics. Nettle Seed Honey. Each year, seedsmen introduce new seed strains, and the plants are quite easy to grow from this source, although a greenhouse gives better results than a window-sill. I was living at a property with a huge patch of it growing directly across the path from my veggie garden, and those nettles didn’t like to stay put! While you're waiting for the seeds to sprout, keep them in a warm spot with indirect sunlight. ). This gave the horses shiny pelts and a youthful appearance, and brought a … Keep your gloves on when you wash them, carefully removing any dirt or insects. It presents gardeners with a tough decision in plant selection. 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. Today, many people use it to treat urinary problems during the early stages of an enlarged prostate, for urinary tract infections, for hay fever, or in compresses or creams for treating joint pain, sprains and strains, tendonitis, and insect bites. To start from seed, place lamium seeds in a plastic baggy with a spoonful of slightly moist potting soil. Using a Survival Knife, the player can harvest Veined Nettle Seeds from it, which can then be planted. It is covered with many small hairs that sting upon contact and are used as a defense mechanism to keep animals from eating it. The main consideration is moisture. Nettle is an herbaceous, quick-growing plant whose leaves and stems are covered with tiny, hollow, silica-tipped hairs which can cause irritation. If a spot is too dry, plants may struggle and will lack flavor, and may potentially lack some of their potency as an herbal remedy. The best time to harvest nettles is in the early weeks of spring when … See our TOS for more details. The Veined Nettle is a Flora species found inhabiting shallower Biomes. To start, tamp the small seeds lightly into the soil or cover with a thin layer of soil (1/4"). You can store the fresh leaves in the refrigerator for two to five days, just make sure they are kept in a closed container to prevent them from inadvertently stinging anyone! Harvesting Guide The needles are generally pointed downward, so work from the top of the plant downwards. Clean pair of scissors or shears, cut off as many coleus cuttings as desired. I learned, for instance, that it is one of the most nutrient-rich native herbs known. Though it stings the hands, it does not sting the gut. 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. Planting. Each year over the course of three years, they found 200 to 400 beneficial insects trapped in nettle plants at all three sites. Place on well-ventilated screen to dry. Documented accounts of its use date as far back as 1200 BC, and its uses are widespread. I remember my mum using it to treat wounds on people. Product photos via: Crossing Press and Storey Publishing Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. Your nettles will be ready to harvest between 80-90 days from seed. And so I started learning. After disposing of the leaves, the liquid can be stored in the refrigerator and used in place of animal rennet. Did you know that many herbs can be sprouted or grown as micro-greens for high-nutrient super-foods? Nostalgic! GARDENER'S PATH® IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ASK THE EXPERTS LLC. To grow plants from seed, start them indoors in pots to protect them from diseases, insects, and bad weather. Thank you for this info. I think I will domesticate it in the nearest future.