The Cottage Smallholder

 Hi Ruth, 

Welcome to the forum where most of us talk a fair bit & some of us are crazy & many of us are living in houses that we are doing up over a period of years (me for one, it's total chaos here¦!!   ) 

You have all my sympathy dealing with such a large area of nettles & brambles. I have just dealt with a similar problem. I still have nettles trying to come through in some areas but I will win through eventually. The tender tops make wonderful soup, along with potatoes & it makes me feel good to make use of them to eat.

Join in the free-for-all, it will be great to hear of your experiences.

Hattie/aka Nadine

Hi (again!) Ruth, we too have a recently-constructed (last year) veg plot that was.....and still threatens to be!! .....overrun by nettles and brambles.  We will win eventually........she says, optimistically.

Unlike Nadine, however, we don't eat the nettles (yuck springs to mind, lol) - husband prefers to do his caveman thing and zap them with his flamethrower weedy thing.  Boys and their toys.........

Ahem, Nadine, I don't like spinach either............

JoannaS said:

Welcome to the madhouse Ruth, where are you hoping to move to?

 

I didn't know the tea was good for hayfever, might give it a try - not that I have hayfever but wondered if it was any good for allergies in general, like whatever is plaguing my eye and insect bites. Can only try anyway. Do you just use the new shoots for the tea Hattie?

 Hi Joanna,

It depends on the time of year.....in the spring I use the whole stem (not the roots) because they are very tender, as the summer goes on I only use the tips(otherwise it tastes too strong & rather rank). I do, however cut back the plants when I first see them trying to flower & this way they produce new tender shoots all summer & well into autumn.

Interestingly yesterday I had to strim my front lawn (I have been neglecting it) In previous years any form of grass-cutting has always bought on extreme wheezing, runny nose, sore eyes, & welts on my skin. Yesterday I was perfectly fine.....I was so surprised & very pleased.  

I don't know whether it will help with your poor sore eyes but it certainly will boost your general system & I find it delicious, esp when cool or chilled. I just pour almost boiling water over the nettles & leave them in till it is cold....I then remove them & feed them to the chickens. Don't be tempted to leave them steeping for days as it will start fermenting (if this happens it gets very stinky & should be poured over your plants).....It is a win-win game......Nettles are so useful, you should always have some in your gardens, especially for the butterflies.