Is this stinging nettles

bretts

http://postimg.org/image/60mwutjc1/

Its in abundance in my neighbours garden.
Are they harmful coz they sting really bad.

megaginge

Yes.

It's a nettle.

What world did you grow up in? Heh. Don't touch them and you'll be fine.

PasturesNew

Yes they are stinging nettles.
Yes they hurt.

They aren't a nuisance plant, as such, in that nothing terrible happens if they spread to your garden, but you would need to keep digging them up if they did.

Did you never get thrown into the stinging nettles as a kid? Never pushed into them? Or saw others doing it? Or getting pushed?

Blimey.... soft life!

JP08

PasturesNew wrote: »

Yes they are stinging nettles.
Did you never get thrown into the stinging nettles as a kid? Never pushed into them? Or saw others doing it? Or getting pushed?

Blimey.... soft life!

Ha - now that brings back memories. Primary school and my teacher Mrs Rumbelow. She was getting on a bit and was strict even by 1974 standards*. Caught a couple of kids chasing smaller ones with nettles over lunchtime. Afternoon registration, she'd been out and picked a good bunch, had the 8 year old culprits lined up at the front of the class, and applied the nettles liberally to their hands. Sticks in my mind as a) being one of the chased and b) she stung herself quite badly in the process. Can't see it happening nowadays ...

*What kind of mind makes six year olds learn their tables forwards, backwards and in any order to get all six points on the star. And sets [STRIKE]Crysan[/STRIKE], [STRIKE]Chrisan[/STRIKE], [STRIKE]Chrysum[/STRIKE], Chrysanthemum in a spelling test for the same !

Farway

As an asied, nettles are very useful for butterflie, and young shoots can be used for "tea" or "beer"

Tried beer, not as pleasant as the real thing

DigForVictory

Make nettle cordage? It's pretty hardcore MS to use a stinging nettle to twist your own string, but the petty revenge aspect may help.

They have a benefit for compost - where you have a a “brown“-heavy heap. If you soak them (google "nettle plant feed") you get a nitrogen-rich feed which saves you buying plant feed. [I'm told it can small pretty bad, though].

Oh yes & aphids (plant pests) go for young nettles in preference to other plants, and thus wildlife, birds etc come for the aphids...

Finally check *where* nettles grow - they mean the soil is rich in phosphates and nitrogen. Worth hacking back, making plant feed & boosting compost & planting something you want instead....

All the best!

Gers

I've been told that if you grab them hard then there's no sting. Mind you, I'm not going to try.

I saw a woman harvesting nettles the other day and asked her why she was doing it - she uses it to dye fabric. Them make a 'pleasant light shade of green'. Not going to try that either.

Last year I sprayed my nettle patch so it's no longer.

Ebe_Scrooge

Gers wrote: »

I've been told that if you grab them hard then there's no sting. Mind you, I'm not going to try.

Try it, it works. It's a great party trick to impress the kids with :rotfl:


Like others have said, I find it very hard to believe that anyone who grew up in the UK has never seen a nettle before.

moneyistooshorttomention

Personally - I encourage nettles. Then I toss up as to whether to pick them for food or pick them to make "plant food". Either way is a winner...:D

I wouldnt dream of getting rid of them - far too useful.

arbrighton

Husband sprayed our nettles. Killed the rhubarb but not the nettles. I'm pulling them out, and year on year, less and less of them as we get the BIG chunky long roots out.

As well as aphids, they are a valuable food plant for many butterflies.

However, as they're in your neighbours garden, just leave them alone. And while it's unpleasant and tingly, you can't have experienced much if you find them that bad

silverwhistle

In the traditional song 'Four Loom Weaver' there is the line 'we lived upon nettles when nettles were good', so pick some very young and have a fresh salad! Otherwise soak in water to make plant feed, but put the bucket down the end of the garden...