Nettle and its properties in the organic garden

Nettle is a common plant that grows without much effort in gardens, orchards, etc. For those who are unaware of its usefulness, it is just an annoying weed , therefore, we will provide more information on one of its properties and uses, specifically in our organic garden .

We must start by saying that it is a raw material that is very easy to obtain and that it will not cost us anything, then if we focus on its use in the garden, one of the valuable properties is its rich nitrogen content , good for making organic fertilizer and other components that make it an effective antibacterial and pesticide.

Index

  • 1 Why is nettle so useful in the garden, what properties does it have?
  • 2 Types of Nettle

Why is nettle so useful in the garden, what properties does it have?

a useful plant in the garden

These properties, along with many others, are quite useful to obtain both liquid fertilizer to nourish plants and to make preparations that protect them.

For the preparation of the fertilizer and pesticides, you only need the nettle and water and that is that the nettle, (about 100 gr. Approximately) must be submerged in a liter of water for fermentation for about two weeks or until it stops doing bubbles; If we are going to use it as a fertilizer, it must be diluted in 20 liters of water and once diluted, the land is irrigated with it. Now, if we are going to use it as a pesticide, we are going to dilute it in 10 liters of water and proceed to apply it in the surface of the plant.

The use of nettle brings great benefits to our orchards and gardens since its use as fertilizer provides plants with the necessary nutrients for their growth , such as calcium, silicon, phosphorus, nitrogen, iron and helps in the prevention and treatment of pests. ; The best thing about all this is that it is totally ecological and therefore harmless to nature.

We can also grow our own nettle plants , so not only would we have the raw material at hand to make fertilizer and pesticides, we would also take advantage of its medicinal qualities given its other components such as vitamins A, B, C and E, iron, flavonoids , mineral salts, histamines, serotonin, silicon, resin, calcium and zinc, which makes it very useful to treat some health conditions; In addition, its cultivation cycle is fast, barely 6 weeks.

The so-called weed, belongs to the Urticaceae family , should not be handled directly because it causes itching and inflames the skin. To avoid allergic reactions to contact with the hairs of the plant, it is recommended to use gloves , from the plant you should use either the stem or the leaves, not the whole plant.

Types of Nettle

preparation nettles

The greater nettle so called or green nettle. The plant can grow up to 150 centimeters, it produces flowers in small clusters and its leaves are oval in shape. You have to be very careful not to pick them up with your bare hand.

The minor nettle is better known for its medicinal properties, its size is about 60 centimeters and the stinging effect on the skin is not as powerful to the touch.

Nettle leaves have jagged edges simulating the blade of a saw and end in a point, its color is quite striking green while its flowers are less intense yellow and these in turn are divided into males and females. They have a rigid trunk, although hollow inside and it is here where the hairs are found that resemble a very fine fluff and that cause so much itching to the touch.

Other lesser-known varieties of nettles are: urticaardens, urticaatrovirens, urticaangustifolia, urticadubia, urticaferox, urticagaleopsifolia and urticafissa.

As we have been able to appreciate, there are many properties that we obtain thanks to nettle, however, and for its use in orchards it is very useful and practical to know them and put them into practice to obtain well-nourished and healthy plants, given how effective a prepared based on it to repel pests and fight infections.

Nettle and its properties in the organic garden

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