Foraging for sting nettle is n’t as hard ( or shivery ! ) as it sound . With just a few tips and forethought , you ’ll be able to forage for and use sting nettles . see everything you need to know about how to place , scrounge for , safely harvesting , and properly prepare stinging nettles for use in edible recipes and herbal remedies .
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Yes, you can forage stinging nettle!
I ’ve been concerned in foraging for stinging nettle for quite a while now , but I have to admit that I was a bit frightened because of the “ stinging ” part .
I imply , I know that you’re able to ( and should ) wear gloves while hoard nettles , but then what ? How can this plant that literally insect bite you be good ?
Well , distinctly I had a lot to study , because after some enquiry I ’ve found that stinging nettle are one of the most nutritive edible and medicinal wild plant out there .
You just have to be a small measured while collecting and preparing , but after that it ’s all good – and full for you !
Related : What to Forage in Spring : 20 Edible and Medicinal Plants and Fungi,13 former Spring Edible Wild green
Identifying Stinging Nettle
Stinging nettle ( Urtica dioica ) is a tall recurrent plant with opposite serrate leaves that are triangular or heart shaped and a straightforward stem . bantam green flowers develop in long clusters .
Stinging nettle are fair leisurely to identify , but if you ’re diffident you’re able to always give them a footling touch to discover out for sure .
The funny thing is that they wo n’t always sting you right away , especially if you catch them hard , or with raspy and calloused fingertip .
A light brushing with the back of your hand , though , and you ’re likely to feel it for certain . It drive me a twosome of tries to get the insect bite , but when it happen I knew it !
turn out it was n’t that forged , but I can see that if you were walk through a battleground of nettles in flip floating-point operation it would n’t be pleasant !
The pang did endure for several hours , although it was more annoying than painful . Be cognizant that some mass have a much stronger reaction to the sting .
Keep in head that the stinging hairs cover the industrial plant , but are the most dense on the fore .
sting nettle has no toxic look - alikes . Mrs. Henry Wood nettlesare closely related and are also comestible .
Note thatpurple drained nettleis a totally different works than sting nettle . It is also eatable and medicative and does n’t have a sting at all !
Where to Find Stinging Nettle
Finding sting nettle is usually quite easy , and they produce in every Canadian Provence and US state , with the exception of Hawaii .
Stinging nettle grows particularly well in the Pacific Northwest because of all the rain we get here , and March through May are the best time to go looking .
Nettles tend to like stream bank , waterway , and disturbed areas . They are common in damp and prolific dirt .
I even found a few among some thickblackberrybrambles .
Harvesting Stinging Nettle
First , be sure that you are harvesting nettles in a clean location that is free from toxins , pesticide , or road runoff .
It ’s upright to harvest nettle when they are unseasoned , before they flower and set seed .
Definitely wear glove while collecting to avoid the stinging hairs as much as possible !
Edible Uses of Stinging Nettle
The real question is , why would you even require to collect stinging nettles ?
first , they are a very nutritious food . Stinging nettlesmustbe steamed or blanched in boiling water first to dispel the gyp , but after that you may corrode them like any green .
It ’s best to utilize the most tender hint of the plant for cook . The older leaves and stems can be tough and stringy .
They are howling sauteed in butter , or you may even bend them intonettle pesto ! ( If scrounge pesto is your thing you’re able to also trychickweed pestoordandelion pesto ! )
Nettles are an awe-inspiring superfood , and they have a big amount of many vitamins and minerals . They are in particular in high spirits in vitamins A and C , atomic number 26 , K , Mn , and calcium .
Try this refreshingstinging nettle - adefor a tasty and nutrient forage drink !
See my post with40 + Stinging Nettle Recipesto get more idea !
Medicinal Uses of Stinging Nettle
Nettles are also a potent medicinal plant . They are commonly used for kidney and bladder problems , include urinary parcel infection .
Stinging nettles are also known as an all around tonic for women ’s generative system , and are often used when trying to gestate , as well as throughoutpregnancy(check with your Dr. or accoucheuse before using it during pregnancy ) .
Because of their high density of minerals , nettles are commonly used for bone ailments such as arthritis and osteoporosis .
bite nettle are unremarkably used to help seasonal allergy .
nettle are also first-class for the hair and scalp ! It is a rough-cut ingredient in herbal hair care products . render thisnettle vinegar hair rinsing .
When used medicinally , nettles are often dried and made into a tea leaf , or even better , as a mineral richnettle extract .
forage nettle leave-taking can be well dry out on adrying screenor in adehydrator .
If you ca n’t find any nettles , or it ’s the wrong time of year for collecting , you may purchasedried nettles from Mountain Rose Herbs .
I ’ve also recently found out that nettles can also be used asfiber for spinning , animal feed , and as a type ofrennet for cheese making . The possibilities seem endless !
I think somenettle pestoandnettle chipsare in my near future .
I ’m also very concerned in the medicinal qualities of nettles and sexual love drinking it as an infusion with other herbaceous plant . I have a formula for oatstraw and nettle infusion in my bookHealing Herbal Infusions .
Have you ever go scrounge for stinging nettles ? If so , how have you prepared them ?
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