There are wild herbs that you can live with and wild herbs that are "kind of annoying". These include nettles, for example. Here's how to get rid of them.
Weeds don't always mean that these plants have to be removed from the garden just because they don't produce nice flowers or were planted on purpose. There are also wild herbs that look really beautiful. But there are also some that can become a real plague. These include nettles, for example. On the one hand they are not the prettiest of plants and on the other hand they spread very far and quickly due to their extensive root system. I won't even start about the pain when I touch it… It's understandable that the stinging nettle isn't particularly popular, especially in ornamental gardens.
Why do nettles burn the skin?
Anyone who has ever touched a stinging nettle or accidentally brushed past it with their foot knows how painful it can be on the skin. This is caused by the small hairs on the stems and leaves. They are filled with a burning liquid. If you touch the plant, the tip of the hair breaks off and the liquid is splashed onto the skin. The result: unsightly blisters on the skin that are quite painful. The plant uses this mechanism to protect itself from predators.
The problem: If you don't stop the spread of nettles early on, a densely closed plant cover will form. So you have to do something about it in good time so that it doesn't get that far.
How to get rid of stinging nettles
Fight nettles with a lot of sweat:
You can fight the plant permanently by mowing it with the brushcutter and then plowing the ground. You have to remove all the roots so that the nettle does not come back. Otherwise the nettle will sprout again from the root system.
Cover nettles with mulch film:
It is a somewhat tedious process, but it works: You can also cover the area with the nettles with a dark mulch film (e.g. available here). The nettles get neither light nor air and die over time. However, it may take up to 12 months for that to happen.
Stinging nettlesfight with weed killer:
If plowing is not possible or you do not want to apply mulch film, then you have no choice but to use a weed killer. But please choose a biodegradable one that won't harm your pets or the bees. We recommend, for example, the NEUDORFF Finalsan concentrate UnkrautFrei Plus (e.g. available here). It is biodegradable, harmless to bees and pets and has a root-deep effect.
Important: Always wear gloves!
Always wear thick rubber gloves when fighting the nettles! Simple work gloves for gardening do not offer any protection here, because the stinging hairs poke through the thin fabric.
Stinging nettles can also be useful
If the stinging nettles appear in a spot in the garden where they won't bother anyone and where you can keep them well under control, feel free to let them grow and thrive there. After all, nettles are also useful. You can use it, for example, to make a brew that helps against aphids and strengthens plants. To do this, put 4 liters of water and 30 fresh nettles in a plastic container, pouring 1 liter of boiling water over them. Then let the mixture ferment for about four weeks.
Once the nettle brew is ready, you can use it as a fertilizer (mixing ratio 1:10 with water) to strengthen your plants, or use it to effectively combat aphids. To do this, fill the brew into a spray bottle and spray the affected plants with it once a day for three days.
➯ Reading tip: Utilize weeds - This is how you can still use goutweed & Co. sensibly