How to Get Rid of Stinging Nettles archived

A yard emergency!!! Stinging Nettles where the grand children (used to) play!

What is the absolutely BEST way to irradicate them?

NO HOLDS BARRED!!!

I don't know, but jewel weed is the natural medicine once you've been "stung".

Eat them. Saute or boil.

joy said:

Eat them. Saute or boil.

You beat me to it.
Had some on a delicious pizza at Arturo's this weekend. Being higher on the food chain is the best revenge.

Yup. 3rd for cooking with them. Never did, but I have a gourmet chef friend (in Boston) who seeks them out.

I know they are edible. I know they are delicious.

Children are being hurt and they are spreading like crazy. My daughter tried weeding them and was sting through leather gardening gloves.


Try asking at one of the local nurseries. Metro Plant Exchange in West Orange gives pretty good advice, in my experience. The gardeners there might have some good ideas or be able to steer you to a product that will kill the stuff.

Thank you @PeggyC, I'm desperate here...

Scully said:

Children are being hurt and they are spreading like crazy. My daughter tried weeding them and was sting through leather gardening gloves.



Until such time as you can eradicate them, here's some tips on how to deal with the rash:

http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/2011/homolka_kail/cure.htm

Thank you @marylago.

I have a gardening box in Scully's yard (she gets a LOT of sun) and it breaks my heart when my son asks to help and I can't let him, though he is allowed to water the box since there is little risk of him being stung. I'm not worried that he'll be injured, but I am worried that if he is stung by a plant at a young age he will learn to hate plants and gardening. He refers to them as "ouchie plants" but since he isn't putting his hands in there any stings so far have been from brushing past them, which is much less painful than getting stung on a finger where there are more nerve endings.

My gardening gloves are admittedly thin from use, but I was still surprised when the damned plant managed to sting my pinkie when I was (once again) pulling them up today. I think the only thing that will work is a zero tolerance policy. They produce prolific amounts of seeds in addition to spreading under the soil so the small stand that is still there will just spread further terror next year.

The sting isn't that bad now, I am lucky in that it only stings me for a few hours, I'm told it can last from hours to days.

Last summer I was pulling them and since their root systems are connected when I yanked one a different one slapped against my arm, leaving me with about 50 or so little red stinging spots that looked like pink little bubbles. I was wearing a short sleeved shirt due to the hot weather so I had zero protection from their vicious attack.

I believe Jean was stung too...
I know your sister had been.

With everything else going on in our lives right now this is making me sick...

I can always use the Grandpa C method, a can of gasoline and a match. Once the smoke clears... voila! No more stinging nettles oh oh

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74146.html
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PDF/PESTNOTES/pnburningnettles.pdf

"The contents of the structures are not fully known, but have been found to contain active concentrations of the neurotransmitter chemicals acetylcholine and histamine. Unlike poison oak, which causes a red, itchy, weepy reaction called allergic dermatitis in only a portion of the population, the nettles affect everyone equally. This is known as irritant dermatitis."

Herbicides listed to control burning and stinging nettles include isoxaben, oxadiazon and oxyfluorfen, but these materials are available only to licensed pesticide applicators. Refer to the herbicide label for proper use of these products.

On the other hand...

http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/tcweeds/docs/ipm-prescription-stingingnettle.pdf

"Nettles produce new shoots from their roots so it is important to use a systemic herbicide such as
glyphosate [RoundUp] that will move into the root system and kill the entire plant. Applications using a hand-held or backpack sprayer with a 2% glyphosate concentration are effective in nettle control. Spray the plants until they are wet but not dripping and follow label directions to mix herbicide to the desired concentration. Currently, products containing the active ingredient glyphosate are the only systemic herbicides for the control of stinging nettles that are considered “low in hazard” by Thurston County’s pesticide review process. However, it is non-selective and will injure any plant that it comes in contact with.

Many glyphosate products have an initial glyphosate concentration of 41% (example: Roundup Pro®, Glyfos ®, etc.), they are recommended to be diluted to a 2% solution for spraying nettles. Pre-mixed, ready-to-use glyphosate products do not contain enough active ingredient to control stinging nettles."

http://www.roundup.com.au/how-to-get-rid-of-garden-weeds/weed-killer-for-stinging-nettles

Because RoundUp is non-selective, painting it on with a brush, waiting a few days until it visibly wilts and then pulling it out, would be advisable. I probably have a bottle of concentrate if you need it.

On the third hand...

I suggest starting a list of eager MOLers to come over and graze, three times a week on a regular schedule.

The good news is that the more I get stung, the less I react. I guess I am building up a tolerance to the damned things.

The bad news is that even after I pull up every visible plant they come back quickly. The underground root system, which is intertwined with my strawberries, seems to be the cause of this.

I think you might have to give up on the strawberries and go with a full-on chemical assault. LOL

The strawberries are in a raised bed, so I was considering digging EVERYTHING up, separating out my strawberries (they've multiplied quite a bit and are good producers) and lay down a new weed barrier base and go with all new potting mix. I've been putting this off because this will obviously take up the better part of an afternoon.

Ah, go for it! you have nothing to lose, right? Except that afternoon. oh oh

Her strawberries are DELICIOUS!!!

Save the Strawberries! (good bumper sticker there) cheese

spontaneous said:

The strawberries are in a raised bed, so I was considering digging EVERYTHING up, separating out my strawberries (they've multiplied quite a bit and are good producers) and lay down a new weed barrier base and go with all new potting mix. I've been putting this off because this will obviously take up the better part of an afternoon.


I would do it this way. It's more work than a chemical spray, but gets it done. I've found if I yank up as much as I possibly can, it does pop up in sections, but yank the sprouts ' and their roots as soon as you see them, and do not let them touch the ground again. Put the yanked stuff in plastic immediately. Then haul it away or burn it. Watch out for the fumes, also.


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