Helpful Info. Harvesting Stinging Nettle

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I grow this along my fence lines. ;)

Different variety, but same idea. While pants will protect you, anyone in shorts or bare feet...ouch...
 
Ok, I gotta ask, why would you want to harvest that evil stuff! I've had a couple run ins with it in my lifetime and assure you that if I ever see it again I'm heading the other way :).
 
Ok, I gotta ask, why would you want to harvest that evil stuff! I've had a couple run ins with it in my lifetime and assure you that if I ever see it again I'm heading the other way :).


Heck I thought you guys would know. I was always told, never to plant this crap, but when I saw the PDF, I thought possibly some one might have it, or know where it is and that they could find a use. Just placing it out there.
 
Heck I thought you guys would know. I was always told, never to plant this crap, but when I saw the PDF, I thought possibly some one might have it, or know where it is and that they could find a use. Just placing it out there.
For defense around your perimeter I could see it being useful. I've been letting wild blackberries grow along the front fence. They are pretty painful and produce some fruit each season, although aren't nearly as sweet or large as the cultivated ones I bought. Even though the blackberries are a deterrent, they don't hold a candle to stinging nettle. That stuff burns for a long time after running into it.
 
Nettles isn't bad eating if you like spinach, bland if not cooked right (if green). I always soaked the nettles in (heavy) salt water to kill the venom if green, like dandelions the roots can be dried then ground to make coffee, also the stock is very good for making twine. A word of warning, after the plant developed flowers (some folks have a hard time going pee for about 2 to 3 days) thus don't eat any part of the plant. The nettles is easy to strip, think of it as a porky pine One-Way ;) cut the stock at the ground, flip the plant, wrap the index finger around the stock were it was cut, as the finger is wrapped tightly slide it down to the top (don't reverse this procedure) the more times you do it the easier it becomes and when you do it enough times you don't have to wear gloves. There is much information out there on the internet regarding stinging nettles just be cautious ;)
 
Nettles isn't bad eating if you like spinach, bland if not cooked right (if green). I always soaked the nettles in (heavy) salt water to kill the venom if green, like dandelions the roots can be dried then ground to make coffee, also the stock is very good for making twine. A word of warning, after the plant developed flowers (some folks have a hard time going pee for about 2 to 3 days) thus don't eat any part of the plant. The nettles is easy to strip, think of it as a porky pine One-Way ;) cut the stock at the ground, flip the plant, wrap the index finger around the stock were it was cut, as the finger is wrapped tightly slide it down to the top (don't reverse this procedure) the more times you do it the easier it becomes and when you do it enough times you don't have to wear gloves. There is much information out there on the internet regarding stinging nettles just be cautious ;)
All I'm sure of is the first person to ever try eating one must have been really hungry!
 
All I'm sure of is the first person to ever try eating one must have been really hungry!

It was a common dish back in the 1600s for the white man, Indians have eaten it back before written history ;) even today there are stinging nettles eating championships (eating raw off the stock) in Europe and this Country, we have eating contest here too in the next county over. Many people grow it as crop in Europe :)

https://www.google.com/search?q=sti...v_zLAhVJ62MKHYooDiQQ_AUICCgC&biw=1680&bih=885
 
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