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Where to get stinging nettles/ alkanet seeds

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  • #1

    Where to get stinging nettles/ alkanet seeds

    Hi,

    I recently purchased a couple of best nesters and inside there is information inside recommending you to plant alkanet as nectar for bees which in turn hopefully pollinate my edibles. After a little research it seems this is invasive, is this true? If it serves a purpose i'm happy to plant it in pot. Can anyone tell me which type I need(I don't want a type that wont give nectar) and where I can buy seeds/plants?

    Also I was told that if I planted alkanet,or too much of it, it may discourage the bees from pollinating my other veg,fruit plants as they are more attracted to the flowers of the alkanet, is this true?

    Secondly I am looking to attract ladybirds and am told that planting nettles will attract them(I have other flowers also) as well as will give them somewhere to lay eggs, the trouble is it's very difficult to find them to buy due to their nature. I don't really want to take any from the wild so any ideas where I could get hold of some, strange request I know!


    Many thanks,
    Matt
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Ladybirds lay their eggs near aphids, so the larvae don't have to go far for a meal: plants such as nasturtiums, broad beans and roses.

    The nettle aphid only eats nettles, so they won't spread to your other plants, but is it worth cultivating nettles when there are lovelier plants to choose?
    Last edited by Two_Sheds; 11-03-2010, 07:43 PM.
    All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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    • #3
      Confusingly, there's more than one kind of alkanet.

      Alkanet aka Bugloss aka Anchusa Officinalis ... I grew loads of this last year in my "blue & white" border.


      There's also Green Alkanet , which has a deep taproot so is difficult to eradicate
      All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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      • #4
        Thanks for the advice. To be honest I don't actually mind nettles, plus I think they attract aphids aswell and also I can make plant feed with them. With you mentioning aphids liking broad beans can I ask something else, I'm looking to grow broad beans myself so if I do get aphids would you suggest leaving them to give the ladybirds some food or wash them off(I don't mind a bit of damage) I have roses with tons of aphids but nearby there must be an ants nest as the plant is covered with them and don't the ants protect the aphids?

        Also thanks for the link, I will be buying some shortly. I think I must've been reading about the green alkanet before, definately don't need another plant to eradicate,have enough vine weed already!

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        • #5
          If you want a nettle patch, just spread a bucket of horse sh*t around and they'll appear like magic!
          All the best - Glutton 4 Punishment
          Freelance shrub butcher and weed removal operative.

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          • #6
            Your welcome to any nettles from our site....I don't feel much guilt in digging them out!

            That said I do leave a couple of patches for the wild life.

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            • #7
              Hi,found these:
              can get seeds here: Nettle Seeds - Herbs - The Green Chronicle Shop

              and there is a whole nettle website :Creating a nettle patch
              Elsie

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              • #8
                Oh my goodness - nettle juice is a rennet substitute! How come this is not commonly known about???
                Whooops - now what are the dogs getting up to?

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Matt84 View Post
                  To be honest I don't actually mind nettles, plus ... I can make plant feed with them.
                  I save a patch on my lotty for the butterflies to lay eggs on. tbh, I've never seen aphids on them.

                  Originally posted by Matt84 View Post
                  With you mentioning aphids liking broad beans... if I do get aphids would you suggest leaving them ... or wash them off
                  That will be the blackfly. It's not if you get them, but when. Colonies appear from nowhere and very quickly get out of control, ruining your crop if you leave them. They must be squished (do it under water running from a can).

                  Originally posted by Matt84 View Post
                  I have roses with tons of aphids but nearby there must be an ants nest as the plant is covered with them and don't the ants protect the aphids?
                  Yes, the ants farm the aphids for their honeydew. Get rid of the aphids and you'll get rid of the ants too.

                  You need to get the natural balance right: if you kill all the aphids, you won't have any ladybirds, but if you simply leave all the aphids, you'll lose your plants. It's a delicate balance.
                  All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Two_Sheds View Post
                    Ladybirds lay their eggs near aphids, so the larvae don't have to go far for a meal: plants such as nasturtiums, broad beans and roses.

                    The nettle aphid only eats nettles, so they won't spread to your other plants, but is it worth cultivating nettles when there are lovelier plants to choose?
                    Yes but the ladybirds, lacewings etc are not as fussy as the aphids - therefore you retain a population of the predators on the nettles to seek and eat any colonies that might spring up on your crops.

                    Originally posted by Two_Sheds View Post

                    Yes, the ants farm the aphids for their honeydew. Get rid of the aphids and you'll get rid of the ants too.

                    You need to get the natural balance right: if you kill all the aphids, you won't have any ladybirds, but if you simply leave all the aphids, you'll lose your plants. It's a delicate balance.
                    Don't think you'll ever manage to rid your self of aphids - they are on every hedge, tree and plant around...If you destroy the ants nests you find that stops them protecting the aphids from the predators though.....interesting theory that the ants would just march off though. Its not so much about 'you needing to find a balance' just helping nature stack the odds in favour of the predators.

                    On a point of interest...you seeing many Harliquin ladybirds near you TS?

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                    • #11
                      Spend plenty of time digging nettles out on my plot! Don't get hung up over getting rid of all of them but do like to restrict them to certain areas.

                      Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

                      Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Paulottie View Post
                        On a point of interest...you seeing many Harliquin ladybirds near you TS?
                        not in any great number, no
                        All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Glutton4... View Post
                          If you want a nettle patch, just spread a bucket of horse sh*t around and they'll appear like magic!
                          What Glutton said, find a field with a horse in it and grab a bucket full !
                          You have to loose sight of the shore sometimes to cross new oceans

                          I would be a perfectionist, but I dont have the time

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                          • #14
                            Planting nettles encourages the aphids which only eat the nettles which in turn encourages the ladybirds to come into your garden so when the nasty aphids appear you already have your ladybirds ready and raring to go.

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Drucil View Post
                              Planting nettles encourages ...
                              ... more nettles
                              All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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