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Nettles and brambles are annoying weeds that grow everywhere.
There are many reasons why we hate nettles and brambles.
They're not only ugly, but they also cause problems with your lawns and gardens.
To make it even worse, they can cause skin irritation, itchiness, and even rashes.
In this article, we'll go over how to get rid of nettles and brambles safely and effectively.
Bramble plants are thorny shrubs that grow quickly and spread aggressively.
Today they're considered invasive species because they outcompete native vegetation and cause problems for homeowners and farmers.
The problem is that bramble plants are beautiful when they're young.
Their bright green leaves and flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds, making them popular garden plants.
They're used for landscaping, hedges, fences, and privacy screens. Some people even use them to create living walls.
But once they get established, they become tough and prickly, and their thorns make them dangerous to pets and children. They can also attract pests like blackbirds if overgrown.
Brambles can grow roots even if only the tips of the plant touch the soil.
They spread quickly through the soil, choking out native plants and trees.
And once established, they're hard to get rid of.
Nettles (Urtica dioica) are plants native to Europe and Asia. They're known for being aggressive invaders.
They're not really weeds, though. They're actually beneficial because they help control soil erosion and reduce pollution.
But they can be very troublesome when growing in large quantities.
The problem is that they grow quickly and spread easily. They can take over entire areas and choke out native plants. And once infestations of nettles are established, they don't go away.
That's why they're considered invasive. They're hardy, persistent, and adaptable.
They have tiny stinging hairs across their jaggedly shaped leaves.
Stinging nettles can cause serious irritation and pain even if you just brushed your skin through them, so they are not only invasive but also harmful.
First and foremost, prepare and wear protective clothing like eyeglasses and gloves because pieces of wood may splinter you.
Also, wear long-sleeved clothing to protect yourself from stinging nettle patches.
You may also wear a face mask to protect you from allergens that may fly around as we remove the brambles.
Basically, we'll be uprooting the plants.
Pay attention to other plant life around the nettles and brambles that you don't want to damage, especially delicate plants.
To start, cut the plant down to around six inches from the ground with garden cutters to make it easier to work with.
Then, start working to pull the roots out.
You can dig around the plant first or soak the soil to make it easier for you to get every piece of root out.
Getting rid of the roots properly is the most important part. This will prevent them from growing back.
Now, before you dispose of the part plants, you need to cut them up first, so they don't take root.
It's also a great idea to add them to your hot compost heap so they can go back to your garden, but this time, they're more beneficial as plant food.
We treat them as weeds, so to prevent their overgrowth or any growth at all, we should follow the standard weed management.
The most common way to get rid of weeds is to use a hoe. Just dig the surface of your soil to interfere with any seed or root growth.
But there are many different types of weeding tools available, including hand-held hoes, push mowers, rotary mowers, string trimmers, and electric weed whackers.
Regularly mow your lawn, and use a hoe to help you get rid of weeds.
Your goal should be to find a combination of tools that work best for you.
In general, though, we recommend a push mower for large areas, a rotary mower for medium areas, and a hand-held hoe for small areas.
What you need:
Directions:
Heads up, this fertiliser smells bad, so we highly recommend doing this outside.
1. Collect the nettles leaves from the nettle plant or stinging nettle patch you just uprooted. Make sure you got ones that haven't been sprayed with any chemicals.
2. Cut the nettles into smaller pieces. This will result in better fermentation and nutrient release.
3. In your chosen container with a lid, mix the nettles with enough water, so it's still stirrable and not too thick. Use rainwater if you can, or leave tap water out in the sun for a day to remove any chlorine content.
4. Loosely place the lid on your container. Don't seal it tightly. Some gas needs to be released while fermenting.
5. Stir the mixture at least once a day. You should see bubbles after a few days. This means the fermentation is going well.
6. Once the bubbling ceases, it's done. This process can take one to three weeks.
7. Strain the mixture. Store the liquid in a container with a lid and mix the solids in your compost.
8. Done!
When you want to use this fertiliser, you need to make a batch of nettle tea.
Simply dilute the mixture with water because it's too potent.
Nettle Fertiliser Ratio:
One part fertiliser to 10 parts water for watering plants
1:20 for direct foliar Nettle spray
The easiest way to get rid of these pesky plants is to pull them up by hand.
However, if you want to avoid having to deal with their prickly stems, you can use a weed killer instead.
But those can affect your soil and the other plants in your garden, so they're not the best option unless.
Remember to practice regular weed control to avoid even harder labour when the weeds overgrow. Doing that will keep common weed and tough weed at bay.
