COLLECT AND DRY NETTLES NOW, BEFORE THEY GO TO FLOWER

Stinging nettle is a nutritious and tasty vegetable that requires only a little extra care to harvest. Gloves are not essential for the experienced nettle harvester, but it’s still a good idea to have some on hand. A pair of scissors, long-handled is best, and a sense of caution will be enough to get you to the stage where you have leaves to dry or cook if you’ve chosen to make soup from them instead of the usual nettle tea. Nettle soup is a delicacy and has a beautiful colour.

If you are growing the annual nettle (Urtica urens), you need not fear the sting as it’s light and passing. Our perennial European nettle (Urtica dioica) requires a little more care in the harvesting, as it’s stronger, although aside from a minute or two of discomfort is really nothing to worry about.

The native ongaonga (Urtica ferox), on the other hand, is not recommended for the home grower nor the soup fancier, and I’ve never met anyone who says they’ve drunk the ferocious stinger as a soup or a tea.

Don’t pick them all! Nettles are the preferred host plants for both red and yellow admiral butterfly caterpillars.