Author Topic: Nettles (Read 8252 times)

Hagrid61 · « **on:** April 26, 2012, 02:09:18 pm »

Hi everyone
Luckily we have been given free use of a small field about an acre is size,

for our sheep, four ewes and nine lambs

.
The only problem is that over half of the field is covered in nettles

.
Could anyone advise me on the best way to eliminate the nettles.
The field is on a steep slope leading down to a small stream making it very difficult for tractor access

.
Thanks in advance

colliewoman · « **Reply #1 on:** April 26, 2012, 02:27:44 pm »

Scythe them down and leave them to wilt, the sheep will eat them then

in the hills · « **Reply #2 on:** April 26, 2012, 02:58:30 pm »

My son uses a strimmer to cut them down and try to keep under control because we avoid chemicals when we can.
Local farmer sprays with chemical ..... I think he said it was Grazeon 90 (guessing at the spelling!) and it was safe to carry on using the field.

Sure someone with more knowledge will reply soon.

kelpy · « **Reply #3 on:** April 26, 2012, 04:01:13 pm »

we cut them down,& the sheep & goats love them.
we do a patch at a time & by morning they're all gone.
do this with thistles too,they do love them when wilted for a day.

Fleecewife · « **Reply #4 on:** April 26, 2012, 04:24:09 pm »

Mine love them when they are still growing, but tend not to eat them when there's still plenty of grass. Both nettles and thistles bring up plenty of trace elements from deep in the soil so are a great supplement for grazing animals.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #5 on:** April 26, 2012, 05:37:59 pm »

Yup, cut and use - don't waste those nutrients!

Grazon-90 will kill 'em off, yes. And the active ingredient will persist in the sheep's systems and their poo, in any hay made from the field and in the systems of any stock (including horses) fed that hay and their poo, and kill all non-grassy plants for years. All of which is maybe not a problem so long as no-one along the way uses any of that muck for other than grassland. It'll kill garden plants, vegetables, any sowed (non-grassy) crops, etc.

Oh, and it kills fish too, if it, or any of the poo containing it, gets into any waterways.

in the hills · « **Reply #6 on:** April 26, 2012, 05:42:54 pm »

Gosh

Glad that I am against use of chemicals and didnt follow everyones advice around here and use that !

Fleecewife · « **Reply #7 on:** April 26, 2012, 06:46:45 pm »

So is Grazon the same as the aminopyralid we are discussing in the compost whinge thread in the veg section? Hateful stuff.

Remy · « **Reply #8 on:** April 26, 2012, 07:02:51 pm »

I have a paddock of just over an acre which is full of nettles on the boundary. It was home to the lambs last year then some newcomers, and the sheep ate every single one of them!

goosepimple · « **Reply #9 on:** April 26, 2012, 08:15:33 pm »

Well, glad I looked at this post - I paid a couple of young lads handsome pocket money for digging out all our thistles in the sheep field - thought I was doing the sheep a favour (oh well they needed the money)

Hagrid61 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 26, 2012, 09:09:46 pm »

Well thanks for all the quick replies,

Looks like I will have to cut them back and leave them for the sheep to finish off.

I knew they were supposed to be good for soup, beer and such like, but I wasn't aware that the nettle cuttings were good for the sheep, you learn something new every day.

Thanks again

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #11 on:** April 26, 2012, 09:25:05 pm »

Quote from: Fleecewife on April 26, 2012, 06:46:45 pm

So is Grazon the same as the aminopyralid we are discussing in the compost whinge thread in the veg section? Hateful stuff.

The very stuff. Yes, hateful.

tizaala · « **Reply #12 on:** April 27, 2012, 07:26:45 am »

Wilted nettles are loved by most animals, our arabians adore them , just strim and let wilt

Sylvia · « **Reply #13 on:** April 27, 2012, 08:20:03 am »

Or,( using stout gloves!) pull them and hang them in bunches in an airy place to dry, then crumble them into the sheep/goats/chickens feed in winter.

FiB · « **Reply #14 on:** April 27, 2012, 08:42:04 am »

Quote from: in the hills on April 26, 2012, 05:42:54 pm

Gosh

Glad that I am against use of chemicals and didnt follow everyones advice around here and use that !

Stronger than me!!!! My helpful neighbour insisted thats what I needed to do last year (probably after watching my scything half of it for a few weeks!) and even arranged someone to do it!! Didnt graze for a week or two after though, despite the name. Taking back control this year (diplomatically and humbly) So the bottle of grazon under my house will stay there.

One question though - will cutting thistles make them grow even more vigouraously (like coppicing a tree?) (Im thinking of the saying I read on here a few months ago Cut them in May, they will stay etc etc)? LOve the idea of drying for winter Sylvia.