Stinging nettle everywhere! Help?

[waqas5742]

You should try a root remover... it goes down almost 1.5ft+ and takes out everything it catches, I remember I had almost the same problem... I was so upset I took out almost half square foot of the earth almost 1ft deep and threw it... added new... now I am thinking of aerating the lawn... did look for a rental aerator at home depot tool rental it was an over seeder as well, let see where that goes.

 

[gardentoad]

I found this info about it

As well as the potential for encouraging beneficial insects, nettles have a number of other uses in the vegetable garden.
The growth of stinging nettle is an indicator that an area has high fertility (especially phosphorus) and has been disturbed.[24][25]
Nettles contain a lot of nitrogen and so are used as a compost activator[26] or can be used to make a liquid fertiliser which although somewhat low in phosphate is useful in supplying magnesium, sulphur and iron.[27][28] They are also one of the few plants that can tolerate, and flourish in, soils rich in poultry droppings.
Recent experiments have shown that nettles may have some use as a companion plant.[29]
Stinging nettle can be a troubling weed, and mowing can increase plant density.[30] Regular and persistent tilling will greatly reduce its numbers, the use of herbicides such as 2,4-D and Glyphosate, are effective control measures.[30]



Don

 

[stepstephens2]

Thanks. It has all died out now, but it will be back again next spring.

 

[fireweed]

We have stinging nettle here too. Lots of it.
It came in a load of hay for the horses many years ago.
From the horse manure it has spread to every part of the property, especially in the flower beds
and big veggie garden where the manure was tilled in.
I do pick the tender green tops in spring for tea, quiche and soups but after that it is a nightmare.
We have chickens free ranging all over the property except the big veggie garden so spraying with pesticides seems unlikely.
It is so wide spread that we have given up and just try to watch where we go.
BIG SIGH ... Oh yeah ,,, and we have horse tails in my flower beds too. ARRRRGH!

 

[stone]

I took some pics of those stinging nettles last summer, I was interested in the fact that I found it growing in full sun, high and dry... I expect it to grow in the lowland areas, in the shade... and really didn't believe that I'd found the same plant.

Stinging nettles are said to be edible, and chock-full of vitties... Ima wait on some-one else to try it... Maybe we cn get Mikey to eat a nice bowl full of itch weed salad!

 

[stone]

I was hoping that stinging nettle was the horrible prickly weed that's in my back garden, but the photos look nothing like it at all. This will grow tall, but it starts flat, with almost velvety leaves, then grows very large thorns. It's horrid, and I'd like to get rid of it , but it usually doens't come up until the garden comes in... digging and pulling haven't worked a bit in 3 years...

Do you have some pics?

 

[lesa]

Nurse, that sounds more like thistle to me...