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Wednesday, 3 August 2022

I Overreacted About the Nettles

First, this happened.

Then, in the comments, several readers mentioned the benefits of growing nettles and how they could be used.

Finally, the link below was provided by a reader, Jon -- and it tipped me over the edge toward wishing I had not been quite so murderous-feeling toward the nettle plant in general and especially the one that stung me.

 https://butterfly-conservation.org/news-and-blog/dig-it-may-tips-from-the-secret-gardener

It turns out that nettles are an important part of the ecosystem for several types of butterflies and moths. And there are ways that gardeners can keep them from taking over their spaces.

I should have guessed that nettles -- like other maligned plants and animals -- have their place in the world. 

Don't we all?

(Thanks for that link, Jon.)

 


 

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12 comments:

  1. Elephant's Child3 August 2022 at 15:50

    Good to know. Thanks Jon. I suspect that the ecosystem often depends on the 'insignificant' and/or inconvenient.

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  2. jenny_o3 August 2022 at 15:51

    Elephant's Child: Indeed. Well said.

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  3. Anonymous3 August 2022 at 20:24

    Not something I'd considered and it's a good point.

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  4. jenny_o3 August 2022 at 21:22

    Andrew: I agree!

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  5. Joanne Noragon3 August 2022 at 21:36

    I am past gardening, but I'm sure many will take this to heart.

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  6. Boud3 August 2022 at 22:57

    So true! Even the humble dung beetle plays an important role. It's just that we often don't know what the roles are.

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  7. Susan3 August 2022 at 23:03

    Sometimes I think we should do nothing with our gardens and see what grows. I'm sure it would be exactly what our local pollinators need. Then we need to learn to eat it too, just like your nettles! Lovely to hear from you again, I was missing you.

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  8. jenny_o4 August 2022 at 12:31

    Joanne: I was glad to be able to post the information Jon linked to.

    Boud: Exactly.

    Susan: Most people are so far removed from knowledge of their land and the plants and animals that live there, myself included. Thanks for your kind words :)

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  9. Diane Henders4 August 2022 at 20:24

    I like it! Thanks for showing the flip side of nettles. (But I'm still not going to grow them in my garden.) ;-)

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  10. messymimi4 August 2022 at 20:57

    While i wouldn't want them running rampant, i agree they do have a place. Maybe we all need more wild garden love in our lives.

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  11. baili5 August 2022 at 10:59

    Loved closing thoughts!

    Yes though late but thankfully we all learn that everything created by Creator has reason to stay here

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  12. jenny_o7 August 2022 at 01:06

    Diane: Me neither, to be honest :)

    Mimi: The article suggests growing them in a tub on a hard surface so the roots can't spread. I'll probably pass, like you :)

    baili: Yes, it seems all the diversity has a reason!

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