Nettle Niche or Nightmare?

I wonder if I have brought 'trouble' into my garden?  I transplanted some stinging nettle from a farm in Maple Ridge into a small area in our garden last week.  I put them in an area where salmon berry shoots keep growing back each year... so I figure we might as well make it the 'native edible weed' area.  This way I can have my own patch of nettles to harvest for teas and soups. 

Now is the time to harvest nettles...when the shoots are young.   I won't harvest these particular plants, as I just transplanted them, but it's time to take a fieldtrip in the great outdoors to nettle hunt.   It will be interesting to see how the transplanted nettles establish themselves in our garden... will they take over and become a nuisance? Or be a tasty addition?  One thing to prevent nettles from being a nuisance is to make sure the seeds don't blow into other areas in the yard [pinch them off before they are windblown and use as a salt substitute]. 

About Nettle:

As far back as history dates, stinging nettles have been praised as a cure-all for everything from common ailments like cold and sore throat to serious afflictions like scurvy and cancers. Nettles are rich in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, silica, iodine, sodium, sulfur and other elements including tannin, beta-carotene and amino acids. Nettles are also a good source of vitamins C and B complex and it’s fascinating to note that they are said to dish up more protein than any other vegetable.

Nettle Recipes

Spring Tonic — Fresh Nettle Tea
Good to the last drop and rich in minerals and vitamins to boot. Put a handful of fresh washed leaves into heated tea pot. Cover with boiling water and steep for five minutes, or until desired strength is reached. Strain before serving. Especially nice with a dab of honey. Don’t discard leftover tea! Put in a jar and refrigerate for a healthy cold drink. Leftover cold tea also makes nutritious house plant water and leaves or dregs can be sprinkled on soil for boost.

Drying Nettles

Dried leaves can be steeped into delicious tea that makes an invigorating morning drink, and safe for the young'uns. Use two teaspoons of dried nettles per pint of boiling water for tea. To dry nettles, cut plant down at lower stalk, tie into bundles and hang in airy place until all moisture is gone, about five to seven days. I like to cover with a paper bag, to keep the cat hair and dust from getting on it. When crisp, strip off leaves and crush. Store in a glass jar (in dark dry place).

Nettle as a Salt Substitute
When nettle flowers go to seed, they can be gathered and dried and used as a salt substitute. Simply spread the seedy clusters on paper towels or screens and dry in airy place until moisture is gone, about a week. Pulverize in mortar with pestle or in blender. This was originally used as goiter treatment because of its iodine content.


Nettle as a Vegetable
Cooked nettles are similar in taste to spinach and can be used in place of it or Swiss Chard in any recipe calling for cooked greens. Boil or steam the nettle until tender.  Save the liquid for another day's soup recipe or for drinking cold or for plant water.


You can also make nettle soup, nettle quiche and just about anything that calls for green-leafy vegetables in the recipe.  Isn't it great to have such a rich vegetable, native to this area, in abundance? Just watch you don't get 'stung' in the process of harvesting it. Wear long sleeves and gloves!!!