Stinging Nettle
Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), has been coined the original week and feed. At first thought, gardeners might consider nettle an unwanted weed, when cultivated and managed correctly it acts as both a natural fertilizer and a beneficial companion/indicator plant. It provides a free, organic alternative to commercial, synthetic weed and feed products. If you make a tea by soaking nettles in water for several weeks, you then spray that on your plants. It's a nitrogen rich, liquid plant food that simultaneously improves soil structure and attracts beneficial insects.
In the wild, nettles grow in moist nutrient, rich soils often near creeks, in forests and along disturbed areas. Their roots provide soil stabilization and they are a delicious and nutritious food. Roots, seeds and young tender leaves are all edible. While not enjoyable to eat, mature fibrous stems have been used to make rope, cloth and fishing nets.
This rich, green plant provides habitat and food for wildlife who share their ecosystem. The small tortoise shell butterfly, who lays her eggs on the undersides of nettle's leaves, gives her hatched larva a ready food source.
The sting of nettles remind us to become aware of our surroundings. Gather them carefully. The tiny hairs covering the plant are small, hollow tubes called trichombes, they easily break off which releases the painful skin-irritating chemicals.
The age old remedy called urtication uses the intentional application of stinging nettle to the skin for pain relief of chronic issues like arthritis and back pain by stimulating blood flow to the area and prompting the body's production of anti-inflammatory compounds. It's also a form of counter irritation which interrupts the body's pain pathways.
When the leaves are cooked or dried, it renders them safe to eat. As a food source, they're a nutritional powerhouse - containing calcium and manganese for bone health, and they're rich in fiber. Nettle also contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which has been found to be beneficial for eye health. The plant is packed with vitamins A, C, K and B, additionally containing minerals and antioxidants. If that's not enough, nettles also boost iron levels and contain all of the essential amino acids.
Gather nettles in early spring before the plant flowers. Consider the people and animals that will come after you by taking only what you need. Dry the leaves for use as a tea, or blanche and freeze for use as a cooked green. The blanched or steamed greens can be used in countless recipes such as quiche, soup, bread, pasta dishes, pesto and smoothies.
The roots target hormonal issues primarily BPH, alleviating urinary symptoms of enlarged prostate. The potent seeds are used in small amounts - one teaspoon per day - they've been found to have adaptogenic and stimulant properties, which can help with burnout and fatigue by strengthening the adrenals and the endocrine system.
Nettle creams help heal wounds and burns and also be applied to ease the symptoms of arthritis. Consider trying to establish your own patch of nettles for easy and abundant harvest. Share them with friends! Just be sure to select a site where they can spread out and be happy and where you aren't worried about bumping up against them. Feed your garden with this wild "weed" who "feeds" us with so many benefits.