Nettle is not just a weed: useful use in the garden and vegetable garden

Nettles grow quickly, take over new territories, interfere with useful plants and sting unpleasantly.

Still, it is better not to get rid of it completely on the site.

Why? Find out about six unusual ways to use nettles in your garden and allotment.

Attracting Ladybugs

Ladybugs, which like to be on nettle leaves, are the main natural enemy of the garden pest aphid. One ladybug eats about 60 aphid larvae per day. In the larval stage, ladybugs kill up to 600-800 aphids each.

The larvae move very quickly and eat the aphids. If there are many aphids, the ladybug will also multiply. Then the adult ladybug flies to where there are many aphids and continues to mercilessly thin them out.

For this reason, a few nettle stems are left in the garden to attract these beneficial beetles.

Excellent natural fertilizer

Nettle is a source of valuable substances such as nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, vitamins A, B, C and K, as well as organic acids.

Experienced gardeners use it as a natural fertilizer and an effective immunostimulant for cultivated crops.

To make a top dressing, chop fresh nettles and mix them with water, rainwater is best for this.

Add 10 liters of water per kilogram of nettle. The container used for mixing should not be metal, it is best to use a plastic bucket or tank.

It should be placed in a shaded area and stirred daily to aerate the solution. To soften the unpleasant smell, sprinkle 1-2 handfuls of rock flour on top.

After 10-14 days, the color of the solution darkens, it does not foam, and the smell becomes softer. At this point, the nettle infusion is ready. The container should be closed with a tight lid, then the solution can be stored for a long time.

Nettle infusion is diluted ten times and used as foliar feeding, a general tonic that promotes plant growth and development.

Protection of crops from diseases and pests

Nettle infusion on water is an environmentally friendly pest control product that is suitable for exterminating aphids, spider mites, gray mold, etc.

Grind a kilogram of nettle, place in a 10-liter watering can or other container, leave for 12-24 hours. Water or spray the mixture on places where there is an accumulation of aphids or gray mold. Repeat the treatment if necessary.

In addition, nettle promotes the production of the green leaf pigment chlorophyll, which increases the rate of photosynthesis and therefore the growth of all green plants, attracts beneficial soil producers such as earthworms, and acts as a preventative against fungal growth.

Soil fertility indicator

Nettle may seem like an easy-to-grow weed that can grow anywhere, but it actually prefers healthy, fertile soil rich in nitrogen.

In addition, nettle itself produces useful microelements and enriches the soil with humus. Therefore, the place where nettle grew can be used for planting any plants even without fertilizers.

This soil is especially good for growing leafy crops such as lettuce or spinach, which require a lot of nitrogen to form green mass.
Enhances the aroma of herbs.

It has been noted that if there is nettle near plants, they become more fragrant. Nettle stimulates increased secretion of essential oils and strengthens the health of plants.

Those who grow aromatic crops should take note of this, but make sure that the nettles do not grow too much and do not interfere with the growth of useful plants.

Acceleration of fruit ripening

Nettles release the plant hormone ethylene, which stimulates and accelerates the ripening of fruits.

Unripe or hard fruits are placed in a paper bag or basket, layered with fresh nettles. The substances secreted by nettles will significantly accelerate the ripening of the fruits and keep them in good condition.

Nettle can be collected continuously from spring to autumn, in nature we find it mainly in damp, marshy places, but since it is a weed, it can be found almost anywhere.

For fertilization, fresh nettles are needed, preferably collected in the spring months before flowering. When collecting nettles, be sure to wear thick gardening gloves and a jacket with sleeves to protect against burns. Never collect nettles near a busy road, as they may be infected.

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