Unloved, nettle is often considered a weed by gardeners...
Normal, it is an invasive plant, and it stings.
But in reality, the nettle has many virtues for the garden and the kitchen.
Indeed, the nettle protects your garden by attracting aphids and their predators.
Rich in vitamins and essential elements , it is also an edible plant to be used in many recipes.
In France, the most widespread species is the great nettle, Urtica dioica.
It is a perennial plant, rich in iron, calcium, magnesium and nitrogen – which makes it incredibly nutritious for plants and for humans.
Whether it's the garden or the kitchen, we've listed the 10 surprising uses of nettle . Watch:
(But don't forget to put on your gardening gloves before picking it!)
Nothing like a good nettle soup to take advantage of all its benefits . Nothing could be simpler!
You need:200g very fresh nettle tips, 450g potatoes (peeled and diced), 1 liter chicken stock and a little cream.
Next, boil the potatoes until tender and at the same time steam the nettle tips.
Drain the potatoes and add the nettles and broth then bring to the boil and blend everything with an immersion blender.
All you have to do is season and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of fresh cream before serving. Mmm too good!
You like salads baby spinach? So know that you can replace them with delicious nettle tips.
Moreover, in the kitchen, nettles are a perfect alternative for most of your spinach-based recipes.
To taste nettles, the best way to cook them is to steam them for 5 min.
Don't worry, they won't sting after being cooked!
To discover: My Spring Nettle Pesto Recipe You'll Love!
In herbal tea , nettle is known to help fight eczema, asthma, hay fever and muscle aches.
In addition, its preparation is super simple!
Simply infuse a few fresh nettle leaves in boiling water.
To avoid any traces of bitterness, remove the leaves as soon as the water starts to turn green and add a little honey.
You'll see, it's delicious!
Nettle is simply essential to the biodiversity of butterflies.
Indeed, the nettle feeds and hosts many species of butterfly caterpillars.
This is the case of the marbled scale, the nettle moth and the famous Belle-Dame.
Without the nettle, the caterpillars of the butterflies must feed elsewhere...
And it will most likely be on one of your favorite plants.
The list of ingredients to make nettle beer is very simple.
All you need are:nettle leaves, sugar, water, yeast, an orange, a lemon and tartaric acid.
Then use this easy nettle beer recipe to make it at home.
You'll see, it's a change from the Kronenbourg!
To discover: The 6 Virtues of Brewer's Yeast for Your Health.
Rich in nitrogen and renowned for its repellent properties against insects, nettle manure is an excellent natural fertilizer for your garden.
In addition, the nettle manure recipe is simple to make. Simply mow 1 kg of nettles, cut the nettles into small pieces and put them in a large container.
Then, cover with a liter of water, and leave to macerate for 8 to 15 days. Then, every day, stir the mixture well, until no more bubbles rise to the surface.
There you go, your homemade nettle manure is ready! To use it in the garden, dilute it in water (one part manure to 10 parts water).
Click here for the easy recipe.
Aphids feed on plant sap, which slows the growth of crops in your garden.
However, aphids are also a food source for other insect and bird species, which are beneficial for your garden.
The solution ? Aphids love nettle .
Thus, let nettle grow as a "sacrifice" plant, which allows you to protect your crops and ornamental plants.
Note that aphids can also slow the growth of nettles.
To discover: 12 Super Effective And Natural Tips To Say Goodbye To Aphids Quickly.
Ladybugs also love nettles.
This is also their favorite place to lay eggs.
Then the ladybug eggs turn into larvae.
And it is these larvae that hunt and feed on insect pests in the garden.
These larvae love to eat aphids, whiteflies (whiteflies) and spider mites (mites).
To discover: 9 Animals That Protect Your Vegetable Garden From Pests.
Nettle is what is called a bio-indicator plant. .
It does not grow just anywhere and can tell you a lot about the state of the soil.
Indeed, to proliferate, the nettle needs a soil particularly rich in phosphates and nitrogen.
So, if you see an abundant clump of nettles, choose that place to grow the plants that require soil rich in nitrogen and minerals.
At the end of the season, consider doing regular hoeing to avoid the expansion of nettle rhizomes, as it is difficult to remove once it is established.
Fresh and chopped, or in manure, nettle acts as an excellent compost activator.
Indeed, thanks to its proteins , it stimulates decomposing organisms.
For best results, be sure to incorporate the nettle well into the compost heap with both dry and wet materials - otherwise it can become sticky.
Similarly, do not add nettle roots to your compost pile – unless its temperature is very hot.
To discover: How to Fertilize Your Vegetable Garden's Soil WITHOUT Composting.
