Not everyone appreciates stinging nettle as a medicinal herb and natural fertilizer. If it spreads in the garden, crowds out weaker plants and causes burning welts on the skin, it's time to combat it
How can I fight nettles successfully?
To combat stinging nettles effectively, you should weed them before they bloom, completely remove the roots and cover the affected areas with mulch. Alternatively, you can lower them, mow them down or cover them with foil. Chemical weed killers should only be used as an emergency solution.
Stubborn with the help of their root runners
If the nettle has taken a liking to its location, it will be stubborn. It spreads by means of its underground root runners. The root system is highly branched and over time a whole sea of nettles emerges on the surface.
Take action quickly
Don't let the nettles grow rampant before you take action to combat them! The faster you are and the earlier you start, the better. Ideally, you should destroy the plants before flowering begins in July. Otherwise they multiply via self-sowing in addition to their root runners.
Identify nettles correctly
It is not uncommon for stinging nettles to be confused with dead nettles and vice versa. The different types of stinging nettle also have different characteristics. The dead nettles have no burning hairs and form purple flowers.
The large nettle differs from the small nettle in terms of its leaves and height. It grows up to 3 m high and has leaves with sharp saw teeth. The small stinging nettle reaches a maximum height of 60 cm and has rounded saw teeth.
To remove, lend a hand: weed and pull out roots
Mechanical control is the most effective and environmentally friendly:
- ideal: moist soil or previous rain (soil is looser)
- digging up soil with a digging fork or spade
- or cut out with a dandelion cutter
- Plant has shallow roots
- Remove roots completely
After removing the plants, it is advisable to cover the affected areas with a thick layer of mulch. Lawn clippings or bark mulch, for example, can be used for this. It is often necessary to fight the nettles several times (for up to two years) until they are permanently removed.
Remove by lowering/mowing or covering with foil
You can also get rid of the nettles with or by:
- a black foil cover or straw bale cover (place over it for 6 to 12 months)
- Reducing stocks (recommended for larger areas)
- regular mowing
Chemical weed killers are an emergency solution
Are you one of those people who believe that permanently eliminating weeds can only be done with chemicals? Even the best weed killer cannot 100% guarantee that the nettles will disappear forever. Chemical agents are more likely to be seen as an emergency solution, as they pollute the groundwater and can also harm surrounding plants.
Stinging nettle – a good home remedy for other weeds
You can use the cut nettles to make a manure. This can kill pests such as aphids. This manure can also be used biologically as fertilizer. It also destroys other annoying weeds.
Tip
If you care about your environment, leave a few nettles. Butterflies like to lay their eggs there and the caterpillars use the leaves as food.
