Stinging Nettle Rash, Treatment and Uses

This is stinging nettle after it flowers. The plant has six subspecies and five have many hollow stinging hairs called trichomes on the leaves and stems that act like hypodermic needles, injecting histamine and other chemicals that produce a stinging sensation when touched.

Hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion and a paste made of baking soda with a little water may provide relief. Anything touching the rash can inflame it again. Stinging Nettles tea has a long history of medicinal use for allergies, asthma and bronchitis.

Nettles As a Food Source

Native Americans harvested the plants, before they blossom and go to seed, when other food sources were scarce. Soaking stinging nettles in water or cooking removes the stinging chemicals from the plant, which allows them to be handled and eaten without incidence of stinging. After the stinging nettle enters its flowering and seed setting stages the leaves develop gritty particles which can irritate the urinary tract.

The flavor is similar to spinach and cucumber when cooked and is rich in vitamins A, C, iron, potassium, manganese, and calcium. At the peak of the season, nettle contains up to 25% protein, dry weight, which is high for a leafy green vegetable. An herbal tea can be made after drying the leaves. Nettles is very popular in Northern India as a vegetable cooked with Indian spices.

In the Garden

Stinging Nettles attracts beneficial insects and also adds nitrogen when composted. Although low in phosphate, soaking it in a bucket of water for a few days makes a liquid fertilizer that supplies magnesium, sulphur and iron.

Nettle Rash

Stinging Nettles









Lizolivia

Preserve Your Basil Harvest

Trim back the plants early in the day before the sun heats them up. Cooler temperature retains the oils for better flavor. Keep at least one third of the plant for continued growth.

There are several ways to preserve Basil:

• Gently tear or trim the leaves from the stems and lay them on newspaper or paper towels. When dry enough to be crumbled, store the dried Basil in baggies or jars in a cool, dark place.
• Put the stems of freshly trimmed Basil in a container of cool water and change the water every day.
• Chop the Basil and put it in ice cube trays. Fill with water and place in freezer. After it has frozen, transfer the Basil cubes to freezer bags and store in the freezer. Keeps for up to seven or eight months.

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