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Urtica dioica, the common stinging nettle, is a UK native considered to be a weed and not a plant people often aim to include in their gardens.
However, since it is ‘Be Nice to Nettles’ week (May 14-25th) and RHS Chelsea Flower Show (May 21- 26th), here’s a few ways you can use nettles in your garden to create an award and wildlife-winning space:
Plant feed – Leave nettles to steep in a container with water, and you have a nutrient rich liquid fertiliser. You can also add nettles to your compost heap to speed up decomposition, just make sure they’re mixed through properly.
A sacrificial crop– Aphids love nettles, so they can be used to lure aphids away from ornamental plants elsewhere in the garden, where they will then serve as a primary food source for ladybirds.
Food production – You can harvest nettles to include in a variety of dishes, the most obvious being nettle soup and nettle tea. Nettles have a variety of health benefits such as being an anti-inflammatory, and full of anti-oxidants.
A soil indicator – Nettles require a soil rich in phosphates and nitrogen to thrive, so it’s a safe bet that you can grow plants that thrive in similar conditions alongside them. Digging up nettles at the end of the season will prevent them spreading out of control.
Source: https://www.awilson.co.uk/landscape-and-creativity-part-2-dyeing-with-nettles/
Even just letting a patch of nettles thrive in a wild corner of the garden, or behind a shed can increase biodiversity.
It’s time we start embracing the nettle, just try not to get stung!
