You may be familiar withstinging nettlesbut you might not realize just how beneficial this herb can be .
The first thing that you ’ll ask to harvest this useful herbaceous plant is a pair of sturdy baseball mitt ! If you ’ve ever brushed up against stinging nettles , you ’ll understand how they convey their name . The fine hairs along the stem and leaves of the plant life take histamines and formic acid . They go out an itchy red rash on any of your skin they amount in contact with .
I recommended not only gloves for this job , but a long - sleeved shirt as well . You ’ll also ask a pair of snips .
show more : Here ’s our guide to foraging for medicative plant .
Identifying Stinging Nettles
Nettles thrive in moist soil and can be found growing along riverbank , near creeks and in low - lying forests . They tend to grow as an understory works , preferring to be in the refinement of the taller tree above .
The leaves are long , oval influence and serrated . The farewell are opposite , and there are all right whisker on the underside of the leaves and along the stem .
There is a interchangeable , related plant that you might discover which is have it off as Ellen Price Wood nettle . This is another useful plant , but it is a different species . Wood nettle has libertine leaf that grow alternating along the stair , as opposed to the opposite leaves of sting nettle .
This is the characteristic to identify for right designation .
Harvesting Stinging Nettles
To harvest , simply clip the plants off near the land . Collect them on a tarp or sheet . This will make them easy to bunch up when you are done .
When you get dwelling , lay the works out in a single layer on screens and allow them to dry . you’re able to use a fan to rush along up the procedure , which is peculiarly beneficial in humid conditions . Once the leaves are dry , they can soft be stripped from the stems and salt away in airtight container .
After nettles have dried , they no longer irritate the skin on contact . So they are secure and easy to work with .
Read more : Craft your own herbal salves for gifts or use around the home .
How to Use the Plant
heating plant also fool the formic acid found on nettle leaves . This means that you may harvest the young leaf , manipulate them up and enjoy their deep , greenish flavor . Nettles are packed full of vitamins and mineral , and are one of the healthy spring greens that we can forage .
This herb can also be crafted in salves or lotions and savour for their anti - incendiary benefits . bite nettle make a wonderful topical treatment for inflammation , joint pain and arthritis .
It ’s just that well-heeled to take this “ pesky weed ” and turn into a beneficial herbal ally that you’re able to grow and savor flop on your homestead !
