Can i compost nettles

Think of nettles as a sacrificial crop. In much the same way you can plant nasturtiums to lure caterpillars away from your cabbages, nettles can be left to take the hit when it comes to aphids. Far from simply adding to the aphid problem in your garden, these nettles will in fact lead to their ultimate demise, because those trusty ladybugs and their larvae will be there to snaffle them up.

Nettles are a great ingredient to cook with. Pick just the young tips of the nettles, which will be more tender and less stringy. Think of nettles as a substitute to spinach.

Or make a tasty nettle soup. Although they sting and are invasive if left unchecked, there are numerous ways they can be put to positive use in both your garden and kitchen. Learn more, below. Nettles are a magnet for beneficial wildlife, they can be made into great plant food and are a surprisingly versatile ingredient in the kitchen. Follow our tips on putting nettles to good use — but be sure to wear gloves at all times when handling them. Add g of potatoes, peeled and cubed, a dash of cream and one litre of stock.

Boil the potatoes until soft and steam the nettles. Drain the spuds and add the nettles and stock. Bring the boil, whisk with a hand blender, add a dash of cream and season.

Nettles can be used in exactly the same way as spinach — almost any recipe containing spinach could contain nettles as an alternative. As well as being delicious, nettle tea is reputed to help combat several ailments, including eczema, asthma, hay fever and muscle aches. Just steep a few fresh tips in boiling water, removing them when the water goes slightly green, to avoid bitterness. Nettles are key to the survival of butterflies, as they are the primary food source for many caterpillars including those of the comma, tortoiseshell and peacock.

Without nettles caterpillars would go in search of alternative food sources — probably one of your favourite plants. All you need to make nettle beer is nettles, sugar, water, yeast, an orange, a lemon and cream of tartar. I make two compost pits , between pallets each year ,I mix plenty of nettles through this n0 roots annd I get what you dream of just great stuff. Is it simply the leaves that are composted or is there an element of stem that may be used. Noted -NO roots. Your email address will not be published.

Grass clippings and soil need to be strewn over the heap rather than dumped in piles. There is absolutely no need to turn the heap nor is there any particular need to cover it — like the soil, it will form its own skin. In three months, it will be ready. It is largely a matter of balancing brown, carbon-rich matter dry leaves, card etc with green matter including leaves and grass and allowing it to decompose.

You can shortcut the process by turning the mix, and by incorporating activators or accelerators — nettles are as good as any. They also have the added advantage of being freely available to most of us. Harvest the stems and leaves above ground, chopping them up to increase the area covered and get maximum acceleration. Ideally, add nettle leaves to your heap regularly, rather than in a single large mound, so that they can spread through the compost.

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