Description
Stinging nettle is a well known plant around animal farms where many manure deposits in the same area creates the very rich, fertile soil that stinging nettle loves.
Nettle is a very nutritious plant, that is why is has to have such a strong defense to protect itself from animals! With gloves and long sleeves harvest the leaves to make nettle tea. The tender leaves can be cooked in early spring to make a very nutritious greens dish. Keep the stalks cut back to enjoy the greens throughout the year.
It can certainly spread by both seeds and rhizomes, but in a garden context it is manageable. Cut back seed heads to prevent spreading by seeds, and dig up plants as they spread and plant in other areas or enrich compost with this dynamic accumulator.
