The Properties of Nettle

Be honest- are you one of those people that think that nettle is a useless plant? This is perfectly normal given the inherent characteristics of the plant. Once you touch them you can get sting for as long as one week. However this is not the complete truth. Nettle can be used as food and even as a fertilizer. In this article we will be looking into more details at the benefits of nettle.

Nettle is a small plant that can grow up to 2 meters high with soft green leaves. The leaves are hairy and contain some sting that comes out when touch. The sting can persist from one day to a whole week. This is the main reason why many people neglect this plant. However stinging nettles are used in some places as food. For instance in Sweden soup made from nettle is a real treat. In fact when cooked nettle loses its entire irritant compound and hence can be consumed.nnn In truth stinging nettle is quite rich in protein which makes it an ideal food for vegetarians. In truth this is the reason why it is used as the main constituent in various vegetarian meals. Food that can be produced with nettle includes soups, stews and herb teas. This French article on using nettle for garden purin d ortie and the benefits of nettle carries some supplemental information and should be worthwhile reading.

Many people simply ignore it but nettle can also be used as fertilizer. Nettle manure is a very good fertilizer for plants and can be made by people cheaply at home. Stinging nettle contains a lot of nutrients that can enhance the texture, appearance and taste of many vegetables. In fact nettle manure is increasingly being use in organic farming where chemical fertilizers usage is kept to a minimum.

Nettle can really be a helpful plant if we know all its usage. As said above nettle is considered as a food in some countries while it can also be used as a fertilizer in organic farming. In fact there is a lot more ways to use nettle. So the next time you see a nettle plant you will not think of it as a useless plant but rather as a valuable gift of nature.