Growing Stinging Nettles in the Wetland Garden

Grow stinging nettles? Why, of course! The plant Urtica dioica or stinging nettle is well-known for its sting, but it is also well-known as a cleansing and nutritious herb. Stinging nettles thrive in wet and sunny areas and will grow well in the wetland or riparian garden.

Identifying Stinging Nettle

Stinging nettles grow vigorously in the wild in wet and sunny locations. The leaves are a dark grey-green and have serrated edges. The leaf is heart-shaped. Both the stems and leaves have small stinging hairs. The nettle plant may be low to the ground but can also grow to more than a meter high given sunny and nitrogen-rich conditions.

Tinctures, Teas, and Extracts All Use Stinging Nettle

Stinging nettles are widely used as a medicinal herb. The new leaf of the stinging nettle helps detoxify the body in the spring time. Nettle leaf teas, tinctures, and extracts are used to promote overall immune system health and to reduce the inflammatory response. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, nettles can support a number of different systems, including:

• Urinary System: Tea supports kidney and bladder health and improves the excretion of uric acid.
• Immune System: Reduces the symptoms of seasonal allergies and supports immune health.
• Muscles and Joints: Used to soothe pain.
• Liver: Helps remove toxins from the body as part of a spring cleanse
• Skin: Used to treat stings and bites.

Before using nettles, consult a medical or herbal practitioner for advice.

Growing Stinging Nettle

Stinging nettle is an ideal plant for the wetland, stream side or pond side garden. In the wild, it grows near sunny ditches where it can benefit from both light and water. Nettles have a tendency to proliferate, so give them their space in a corner of the garden. These plants grow using underground runners, similar to the hardy and rather invasive mint. Locate them strategically, since it is best not to walk through a nettle patch on the way to tend another plant.

Stinging nettles are not only healthy for people, they are also superb contributors to garden soil. Nettles build humus in the soil. Crush nettle leaves and soak them in water for a few weeks, and the nettles also make a fantastic fertilizer for other garden plants. Plant Broad-Leaved Plantain (Plantago major) near the nettle patch. Plantain helps remove the sting of nettles. Always use gloves when gardening near stinging nettles, and handle them with gloves until they are cooked or dried.

While it may seem like an odd choice for the wetland garden, the stinging nettle is a useful plant for people and a beneficial plant in the garden. Growing stinging nettles is a way to add another edible and medicinal plant to the repertoire of the wetland gardener.