I was just wondering who likes nettles? I know they can be a pain when they take over your garden and many consider them as weeds.

I like nettles as they are extremely good for cooking with and full of vitamins and nutrition. Nettle soup is very nice, they can also be used in things like casseroles, pies, or mixed with mashed potatoes or just eaten on there own. There are so many things you can do with nettles.

What are your thoughts on nettles?

Pretty, but OUCH!

You where gloves of course when picking them lol and once you boil them they no longer have the sting and taste like spinach and contain more nutrition than spinach does A nice bit of deer meat cooked in nettles with some salt and pepper a bit of butter and some roast potatoes cant beat it.

I'm glad to hear that!

I wondered if they were like very hot peppers: an acquired taste.

Kevin, do you have these in your garden, or do you go out foraging for them? I've never tasted them, and don't think we have any around here.

Nettles aid in keeping the rust alive that infects iris.
Amazing how the same plants can be good and bad in the environment! May your weekend be safe and joyful!

I have some in my garden but there not as good as the ones I like to go foraging for in Epping Forest. The best nettles grow in rich soil. I enjoy foraging for lots of wild foods. I think there might be some in the U.S but I'm not sure... When I've been state side in the past I've not ever seen any growing over there I think there more of a European plant , however I don't see why the U.S wouldn't have any growing there. Nettles like a cool rainy damp kinda climate so maybe some states might have them.

Altheabyanothername said:Nettles aid in keeping the rust alive that infects iris.
Amazing how the same plants can be good and bad in the environment! May your weekend be safe and joyful!

They have many health benefits and are good for flushing out toxins from your body. There are a few different types of nettles, the ones found here in the UK are the good ones... if the states does have them maybe they have a different kind I'm not sure...

Are all nettles edible? Which one is it that you cook?

Some plants with the word "nettle" in the name are not edible. The "nettle" most often referred to as edible is Urtica dioica.

I really can't say about any that grow stateside as I don't know but I'm sure somebody could give some more info on the nettles that grow stateside. The nettles in the picture I uploaded are the edible ones.

Stinging nettles definitely grow in my part of the US... I think they're the same ones Kevin is talking about, judging from the photo; I've mistaken them for catnip many times (which also grows all over our yard/garden), seemingly always when I'm not wearing gloves .

Our west coast nettle is Urtica dioica, a native that seems to grow world wide. Apparently it is edible and has medicinal value. My only experience with nettles is accidently walking into them before realizing what I was walking into.

Kevin, when you said they were a pain, my first thought was "yes, very painful".

DaisyI said:Our west coast nettle is Urtica dioica, a native that seems to grow world wide. Apparently it is edible and has medicinal value. My only experience with nettles is accidently walking into them before realizing what I was walking into.

Kevin, when you said they were a pain, my first thought was "yes, very painful".

Hahaha Do y'all have dock leaves growing over your side of the pond? ironically they grow over here near by nettles and are good for rubbing on your sting when being stung by nettles.

Dock and nettles! Some of my favorite weeds (to pull). The dock gets really tall - more like logging then weeding (especially if there are also Lamb's Quarters).

I'd love to live in your part of the world, then I could grow all the things I like... Its funny the things that are considered as weeds that are either edible or have other uses that we just pull up and discard. I've not heard of Lambs Quarters but the "meat lamb" nettles would go well with a nice bit of roast lamb. Maybe you could save your nettles for some food recipes. Personalty I think nettles should be grown in a controlled area of the garden.

I think Lamb's Quarters (Chenopodium album) does grow in England but may be known by a different name. Have you heard of 'Fat-Hen'?

I've not heard of fat-Hen, I've just Googled it lol it looks familiar.

Interesting, appetizing, I dunno?? I think I may rather eat canned peas.

I'll stick with my frozen peas.

evin, do you ever sleep? According to Google, its 9pm PST but 5 am London time. You been up all night? You must be a night watchman or something.

DaisyI said:I'll stick with my frozen peas.

evin, do you ever sleep? According to Google, its 9pm PST but 5 am London time. You been up all night? You must be a night watchman or something.

Yeah I was up until 7am morning