The 10 Uses of Nettle Everyone Should Know.
Disliked, nettle is often considered a weed by gardeners ...
Normal, it is an invasive plant, and which stings.
But in reality, nettle has multiple virtues for the garden and the kitchen.
Nettle protects your garden by attracting aphids and their predators.
Rich in vitamins and essential elements, it is also an edible plant to use in many recipes.
In France, the most common species is the big nettle, Urtica dioica.
It is a perennial, rich in iron, calcium, magnesium and nitrogen - which makes it incredibly nutritious for plants and for humans.
Whether it's the garden or the kitchen, we have listed you the 10 surprising uses of nettle. Look :
(But don't forget to put on your gardening gloves before picking it!)
1. Nettle soup
Nothing like a good nettle soup to benefit from all its benefits. It could not be easier !
You will need: 200 g of very fresh nettle tips, 450 g of potatoes (peeled and diced), 1 liter of chicken stock and a little crème fraîche.
Then boil the potatoes until they are tender and at the same time steam the nettle tips.
Drain the potatoes and add the nettles and the broth then bring to the boil and mix everything with a hand blender.
All you have to do is season and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of crème fraîche before serving. Mmm too good!
2. From salad to nettles
Do you like baby spinach salads? So know that you can replace them with delicious nettle tips.
In fact, in the kitchen, nettles are a perfect alternative to most of your spinach recipes.
To enjoy nettles, the best way to cook them is to steam them for 5 minutes.
Don't worry, they won't sting after being cooked!
To discover : My Spring Nettle Pesto Recipe You'll Love!
3. Nettle leaf tea
In herbal tea, nettle is known to help fight eczema, asthma, hay fever and muscle pain.
In addition, its preparation is super simple!
Just steep a few fresh nettle leaves in boiling water.
To avoid any trace of bitterness, remove the leaves as soon as the water starts to turn green and add a little honey.
You'll see, it's delicious!
4. Nettles are an ally of butterflies
Nettle is simply essential for butterfly biodiversity.
Indeed, nettle nourishes and hosts many species of butterfly caterpillars.
This is the case of the marbled tortoiseshell, the nettle moth and the famous Belle-Dame.
Without nettle, butterfly caterpillars will have to feed elsewhere ... and it will most likely be on one of your favorite plants.
5. Nettle beer
The list of ingredients for making nettle beer is very simple.
All you need are nettle leaves, sugar, water, yeast, an orange, a lemon and tartaric acid.
Then use this easy nettle beer recipe to make it at home.
You'll see, it's a different Kronenbourg!
To discover : The 6 Virtues of Brewer's Yeast for Your Health.
6. To make your nettle manure
Rich in nitrogen and renowned for its insect repellant properties, nettle manure is an excellent natural fertilizer for your garden.
Plus, the nettle manure recipe is easy to make. Just mow 1 kg of nettles, cut the nettles into small pieces and put them in a large container.
Then cover with a liter of water, and let macerate for 8 to 15 days. Then, every day, stir the mixture well, until no more bubbles rise to the surface.
And there you have it, your homemade nettle manure is ready! To use it in the garden, dilute it in water (one volume of liquid manure for 10 volumes of water).
Click here for the easy recipe.
7. As an aphid trap
Aphids feed on plant sap, which slows the growth of crops in your garden.
However, aphids are also a food source for other species of insects and birds, which are beneficial for your garden.
The solution ? Aphids love nettle.
So, let nettle grow as a "sacrifice" plant, which allows you to protect your crops and ornamentals.
Note that aphids can also slow the growth of nettles.
To discover : 12 Super Effective And Natural Tips To Say Goodbye To Aphids Fast.
8. To attract ladybugs
Ladybugs love nettle too.
It’s their favorite place to lay eggs.
Then the ladybug eggs turn into larvae.
And it is these larvae that hunt and feed on insect pests in the garden.
These larvae love to eat aphids, white flies (whiteflies) and spider mites (spider mites).
To discover : 9 Animals That Protect Your Vegetable Garden From Pests.
9. To reveal the condition of the soil
Nettle is what is called a bio-indicator plant.
It doesn’t grow anywhere and can tell you a lot about the condition of the soil.
In order to proliferate, nettle needs a soil that is particularly rich in phosphates and nitrogen.
So, if you see an abundant clump of nettle, choose this location for growing plants that require soil rich in nitrogen and minerals.
At the end of the season, consider doing regular hoeing to avoid the expansion of nettle rhizomes, as it is difficult to remove once it is established.
10. As a compost activator
Fresh and chopped, or in manure, nettle acts as an excellent compost activator.
Indeed, thanks to its proteins, it stimulates decomposing organisms.
For best results, be sure to incorporate nettle into the compost pile with both dry and damp material - otherwise it can get sticky.
Likewise, don't add nettle roots to your compost pile - unless the temperature is very hot.
To discover : How To Fertilize The Soil In Your Vegetable Garden WITHOUT Making Compost.
Your turn...
Do you know other uses for nettle? Share them in the comments with our community. We can't wait to hear from you!
Do you like this trick ? Share it with your friends on Facebook.
Also to discover:
The 6 Benefits of Nettle For Your Body.
Nettle Sting: The QUICK Remedy Against Itching.
