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Gidday

Well me old knees are just about totally stuffed. I was searching the internet for a green treatment for arthritis and found several sites recomending two different herbs, alfalfa which I believe is what we call lucerne, and stinging nettle.

A couple of the sites recommended and trying to sell me a tincture of stinging nettle. Now seeing as stinging nettle is my worst pasture weed here I woinder what is involved in making a tincture from some.

Is this feasible?

can i have some of your nettles please :) just found our first patch and I am tending to them lovingly.

a tincture is a compound preserved in alcohol, therefor you will get the same effect with using the plant directly. the easiest way to do this with nettles is to dry them, then make a tea from them. I rather like nettle tea myself, and i may just do that from our solitary patch

Gidday

How long have you been there Possum? They are very seasonal and I though you hadn't been there a complete season yet.

Nettles, I believe, are a high fertility weed, like they need a high fertility soil so cause a problem around where sheep camp at night, gateways etc.

Turmeric might help with your arthritis, too - a friend of mine has used it with good success (I've used it myself not for arthritis, but inflammation of my hip joints, and it worked better than anything the doc's given me in the past).

we have been here since the beginning of october last year so just about a year. the land hasn't been grazed much in a while as far as i know except for the last owner who grazed horses, i found another area with baby ones, but i think the chickens ate them as they have gone again. i think the reason why we don't have them is the lack of water, wherever i have seen them in uk they tend to be in slightly damp places
however we have more than our fair share of other noxious weeds

my Cousin lives in NZ and tells me that the nettles there are a different species to those we have in UK - much rarer and nastier sting.

is this true?

NZ native nettles have a nastier sting that is true, I believe a very bad case could kill a small child, however there is also the UK type nettle here as well that came over as a weed. It is this one that I am wanting to get on our place as they don't grow much by the roadside.

ah right so you have both - make sure you use the right one for any tinctures!

I'm not sure if this is true of not, but someone told me that to help your nettle patch grow you should urinate on it. Apparently they really like the nutrients

They do. They grow like mad on my compost...

Gidday

Like I said, a high fertility plant.

Jack wrote:Gidday

Like I said, a high fertility plant.

hence why they stand no chance at our place lol
actually found a second plant today yay!

possum wrote: actually found a second plant today yay!

Quick - build a compost loo around it!

i will do just as soon as i remember where i found it

Its hard to imagine nettles being rare. They smother every field and pathway here

My horse has arthritus and I cut nettles for him most days. They like growing in nitrogen rich areas, bring up deep minerals with their deep roots and horses love them when they are wilted. They are reputed to be blood cleansers when eaten, hence reducing pain normally caused by impurities I'm told. Not sure how they would work as a tincture?

Next spring I'll get round to nettle soup for me too in the hope I won't end up an old crock too soon!