Not everyone appreciates nettle as a medicinal herb and natural fertilizer. If it spreads in the garden, displaces weaker plants and causes burning wheals on the skin, combating it is obvious…

Nettles have to be removed along with their roots so they don't come back

Persistent with the help of their root suckers

If the stinging nettle likes its location, it shows itself to be stubborn. It spreads by means of its underground root runners. The root system is highly branched and over time a sea of stinging nettles develops with it on the surface.

Take action quickly

Don't let the stinging nettles grow rampant before you start fighting them! The faster you are and the earlier you start, the better. Ideally, you should destroy the plants before flowering begins in July. Otherwise, they multiply in addition to their root suckers via self-seeding.

Identify stinging nettles correctly

Stinging nettles are often confused with dead nettles and vice versa. The different types of stinging nettle also have different characteristics. The deadnettles have no burning hairs and form purple flowers.

The large stinging nettle differs from the small stinging nettle in terms of its leaves and growth height. It grows up to 3 m tall and has sharp saw-toothed leaves. The small stinging nettle is a maximum of 60 cm high and has rounded saw teeth.

Lend a hand to remove: Weed and pull out roots

The most effective and environmentally friendly is mechanical control:

  • ideal: moist soil or previous downpour (soil is looser)
  • dig up earth with a digging fork or spade
  • Or cut out with a dandelion cutter
  • Plant has shallow roots
  • Remove roots completely

After removing the plants, it is advisable to cover the affected areas with a thick layer of mulch. Lawn clippings or bark mulch can be used for this, for example. It is often necessary to fight the stinging nettles several times (up to two years) until they are permanently removed.

Remove by lowering/mow or foil covering

You can also get rid of the nettles with or through:

  • a black foil cover or straw bale cover (place on top for 6 to 12 months)
  • Clearing of stocks (recommended for larger areas)
  • regular mowing

Chemical weed killers are an emergency solution

Do you belong to the branch that believes that permanently removing weeds only works with chemicals? Even the best weed killer cannot be 100% sure that nettles will go away forever. Chemical agents are more of an emergency solution, as they pollute the groundwater and can also damage surrounding plants.

Nettle - a good home remedy for other weeds

You can use the cleared nettles to make liquid manure. This can be used to kill vermin such as aphids. Biologically, this liquid manure can also be used as fertilizer. It also destroys other annoying weeds.

tips

If you care about the environment, leave a few nettles. Butterflies like to lay their eggs there and the caterpillars use the leaves as food.

Category:

Herbs