>I am interested to know how well the seeded nettles grow. >a bd grower in Germany told me that he tried to grow nettles from seed for >nettle tea production and increase the a amount of nettles available for >his own use. He tried several times, but failed, while in some areas of >his property they grew very well. He said to me that he believed, nettles >grow best naturally and are very difficult to produce 'artificially'. > >Christiane
Dears, Having grown nettles from seed, let me put in my bit. Growing nettles from seed is like growing potatoes from seed. I've never seen it get off to a bang of a start and produce robust plants the first year. Growing potatoes from seed I got these little miniature plants and potatoes the size of marbles. These have to be nursed up to size in further growing seasons. If you want big, robust potatoes, cut sets from big robust potatoes. Likewise with nettles. If you want robust plants, use root cuttings from same. That doesn't mean you can't grow them successfully from seeds. In fact, if you want to plant them from seed, rake off the duff from a border, shady, low lying patch where organic material tends to collect during rains and where nitrogen tends to be rather a bit richer. Rake in your nettle seed and redistribute the duff over the top. If tall growth occurs during the season, mow it off and leave the mulch. Do this as many times as necessary the first couple years. In winter scatter a little oak bark over the areas where the tiny nettle plants appear to encourage them, not to smoother. Be patient. You could get a really robust stand in 3 or 4 years. Or, you could do as I did, let the birds plant the seeds around where you stir your BD 500. I can't get rid of the damned things there now. There were just a few tiny plants there at first. It only too three years for them to catch on. The most robust nettles on my place. They sure like 500. I didn't plant them there at all, at all. Actually they are a boon there. Just good fortune. Also really robust. Best, Hugh Visit our website at: www.unionag.org
