Nettles

My life seems to have been taken over by nettles and what I call 'goose grass'
I am spending so much time battling them back that I haven't got time for anything else this year

 

Eat them!

They are really tasty in a pie with shallot, garlic and bacon, or in omelettes with onion and herbs, plus there is a grim satisfaction in chewing on your enemies.

 

Your actually quite lucky though it may seem not be so if things are out of control. Nettles and indeed goose grass are quite shallow rooted - though the former spreading by runners. Additionally Nettles don't like Roundup - unlike some other weed thugs in the garden like Mind you own business., ground elder and field bindweed that seem to have their own immunity.

I have nettles in my garden that I allow in certain places because they are a food plant for some butterflies .

The main problem with all of weeds ( a plant in the wrong place) that spread from runners is where they are coming from. As no matter what you do in your garden, they will recurr. So it they are coming in from a neighbour - have a chat with them about getting rid of the source if thats what you wish.

Goose Grass can be quite eaily controlled by pulling it out - and never letting it set seed. Nettles if you want to irradicate from your garden and your neighbour won't play ball - then use roundup two weekly to regain control, and then remove any new shoots by gloved hand.

One tip, I have found that older nettles seem to have a more virulent sting than young growth - so be careful.

 

Round here the goose grass (sticky weed) is just coming in to flower, so it will be dropping seed in a few weeks. So I'm keeping and eye out for it at the moment. If you can get it all out this year before it starts seeding then there shouldn't be much next year. It can be tricky to find it all because it climbs up inside shrubs, and then can't bee seen.

For nettles among other plants, where you can't use round up easily, don't just pull off the top growth, get a small hand fork, and ease up as much of the runners as you can.