British Columbia: Where to buy stinging nettle plant in Vancouver, B.C?

Discussion in 'Outdoor Gardening in the Pacific Northwest' started by JoyC, Sep 11, 2010.

  1. JoyC

    JoyC Member

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    Does anyone know where the stinging nettle plant can be purchased
    in Vancouver? Should I contact Mandeville Garden to see if I can order it?

    Or, can I purchase it or seeds at the UBC Botanical Gardens at UBC?

    Finally, is that a bad idea? For example, does it just take over
    the garden, or is our weather wrong for it?
    Sorry for so many questions.
    Any answer on anything is wonderful.
     
  2. Barbara Lloyd

    Barbara Lloyd Well-Known Member

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    JoyC - may I ask why you want to grow stinging nettle? It tends to grow wild here and most of us get rid of it the minute it pops up. It likes moist,acidic soil and grows well in shade. Ours used to get 5 ft tall growing under Doug firs. I do know it is sometime used for holistic medicinal purposes. Just curious ;)))barb
     
  3. JoyC

    JoyC Member

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    Hello there, we bought organic stinging nettle at one of the health food shops
    and we want to grow it, use it for many things...it is so good for
    health purposes, the list is very long. We live in Burnaby near Metrotown
    and we are seniors. We use only alternative health methods...about 99%
    of the time. There's so much more in natural things.
    My husband is Cajun and has that 'green thumb', and comfrey,
    for example wants to take over here. We love comfrey, use
    the root...knitbone for compresses. So we'd like to grow nettle
    and hope to be able to get that going.
    Oh, our soil here in Vancouver...acid all right.
    Please let me know, thanks so much.
     
  4. Barbara Lloyd

    Barbara Lloyd Well-Known Member

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  5. JoyC

    JoyC Member

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    We used to go to Anacortes, so nice there, quite
    peaceful comparatively. Beautiful. That site is
    US but I sent an e-mail to UBC which is very close
    to us. And they grow it there, so maybe???
    And then I can call the gardening place and
    likely order it. Thanks for getting me going on this.
     
  6. Barbara Lloyd

    Barbara Lloyd Well-Known Member

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    Your more than welcome. And, welcome to this forum. We have people from all over the world to ask questions of. It's really great. barb
     
  7. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Best way would be to find somewhere with a big patch of it, and ask permission to dig some roots to transplant.
     
  8. JoyC

    JoyC Member

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    Guess I could just go where the farms are, or
    phone up some farms or where horses are and
    ask if they have it, go etc. That could be
    a nice day, anyway. Thanks for the tip.
    I hear it loves 'cow pies'. Probably horse
    pies also.
     
  9. togata57

    togata57 Generous Contributor 10 Years

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    Joy, you might be interested to read an article I posted on the 'Plants: In The News' forum on June 15, 2009---entitled 'Stinging Nettle---The Wonder Plant!' There is a link at the bottom of the article to:
    www.nettlefarm.com
    Plants are amazing!
     
  10. JoyC

    JoyC Member

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    We will try to find nettle seeds or nettle plant and
    grow our own herbs this way just for our own teas
    and things. From what I learned, they would be
    put in a pot to contain them, but I think they
    likely can spread if they go to seed also.
    Some people said they were always pulling these up.
    I am going to try to find a cow farm here somewhere
    and go on out, phoning to explain and see if I can
    find some. Thanks for info.
     
  11. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Too bad you aren't in the US, I could give you bushels of rootstocks from the Camano Island site. Camano Island actually has a history of being a nettle cropping area, the native peoples there were encouraging nettle patches for their own use when introduced to potato cultivation by white settlers.

    Which they really took to.
     
  12. JoyC

    JoyC Member

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    Thanks for message. I'm now wondering whether to put
    an ad in the Buy & Sell under 'wanted-plants' or whether
    to look up dairy farms here around an area called 'Richmond'
    to find 'cow pies' and nettles growing. So, an
    adventure. I'd rather find an outlet but, well,
    it likely will be interesting.
     
  13. knottnancy

    knottnancy Member

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    Location:
    Aldergrove, BC, Canada
    Hi Joy,

    We live on a small acreage in Langley (with horses), and we can't get rid of the stinging nettle here! It grows like crazy...forests of it, as it grows quite tall. And it readily goes to seed for future crops! Ha,Ha Let me know if you feel like a drive out to the country! It would take you about an hour from the Metrotown area. Nancy
     
  14. JoyC

    JoyC Member

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    Thank you so much!!! I travel by bus,
    and it is not a problem at all as long as
    you aren't too far(I could even bring my
    bike to cycle from the bus).
    We want to grow it (sounds ridiculous, I suppose)
    but it has good health benefits for seniors.
    Well, for anyone, probably.

    So, actually we live nearer to Edmond's and
    skytrain goes to King George or Surrey Central,
    and then the 590 to Langley...done this several
    times and not a problem. So, hopefully it is
    possible.

    Horses...that's wonderful. Aren't they just so
    ...maybe..intuitive???

    Thanks again, if it's possible, let me know,
    my e-mail is uniluv2go4@gmail.com if you
    want to do it that way???

    Joy
     
  15. Lysichiton

    Lysichiton Active Member

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    Location:
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    Stinging nettle, in my experience, is an indicator plant. It loves nitrogen & moisture. So that's why it is associated with farms & domestic cattle. If you are wandering in the woods in UK & Europe, the nettle will nearly always indicate human habitation/animal husbandry past or present...watch out for wet & smelly spots! In Vancouver I have walked with a friend up the Western edge of Pac Spirit park & there are patches of it there on road allowances & waste ground. Dog walking & dumping organic garden waste account for the favourable conditions I think.

    Nettles support a wide variety of other species & have a cult following eg www.nettles.org.uk Fascinating plants that have a long association with humans. Grow some, for sure.
     
  16. JoyC

    JoyC Member

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    I was glad people alerted me to the tendency it has to
    take over everything. I would thus grow it in a large pot.
    But I also understand it goes to seed, so I think it would
    have to be cut back in the fall which if the plant is
    small won't be work.
    But thanks for the info because the 33 bus goes through
    Pac Spirit park and I've always wanted to go hiking there.
    Another person is checking to see if they have it on
    their acreage.
    You can check this online but nettle is really good for us.
    We're seniors so it's more important, maybe, although
    I'm a believer in 'an ounce of prevention'. But thanks
    a lot for your response here.
    I'm new to this and it's just great!!!
     
  17. Naturegirl

    Naturegirl Active Member

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    Location:
    Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada
    I live 2 km south of Cloverdale and have lots of stinging nettle on my property of almost an acre. I get a bad reaction if I touch it. You are welcome to come and dig some up if you desire.
     
  18. JoyC

    JoyC Member

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    That sounds great. If the bus goes there,
    I can get there. Another person might have
    some so I'll see about that. My e-mail is
    uniluv2go4@gmail.
    The very stuff in that stinger is what will
    heal things. But you can't touch it.
    You have to simmer it. The chemical
    is good. So, if you want to let me know,
    I'll see if I can arrange this. I twisted
    my ankle but should be good by
    next weekend.
    Thanks so much for your concern.
    So, yes.
     
  19. Barbara Lloyd

    Barbara Lloyd Well-Known Member

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    All nettle growers!
    "I get a bad reaction if I touch it"
    I think this applies to all of us, so if you grow nettles you also need to have some bracket fern around. If you do get "stung" pull up a root of the bracken fern, smush it to a pulp and smear the pulp on the stings. It will take the sting away. I learned this as a kid. We had nettles all over the place and I react to them. Check out the link below. It gives better info than I. ;)) barb

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bracken
     
  20. Lysichiton

    Lysichiton Active Member

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    ...or if you want the high-tech version. Carry a bit of anti-histamine of some kind (cold/allergy syrup with anti histamines does for me) & put it on. "After bite" works to some extent.

    Really, unless you are sensitive - it isn't that bad, unless you roll in it. Not as bad as mosquitos! My mother used to deliberately sting herself with nettles in the belief that they helped her rheumatism. Mind you, she was a tough lady.
     
  21. Naturegirl

    Naturegirl Active Member

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    Location:
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    I'd rather get a mosquito bite than touch stinging nettle. With the stinging nettle I get a very annoying tingling sensation for at least 24 hours. Mosquito bites don't bother me unless I rub them.
     
  22. Gabriolan

    Gabriolan Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
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    Stinging nettle is all over the place in my neighbourhood, JoyC, and it's going to seed now. If you want some seed, send me a private note.

    EDITED TO ADD:

    If you found this thread because you're in Canada and are looking for nettle seeds, try a web search something like this:

    nettle seeds Canada

    One Canadian company that sells nettle seeds is Richters. Their website is http://richters.com , and at the moment their nettle page is at http://richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?product=X4270&show=all&prodclass=&cart_id=5619498.26313
     
    Last edited: May 1, 2013
  23. JoyC

    JoyC Member

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    That would be wonderful.
    My e-mail address, if you'd like to do it that way is
    uniluv2go4@gmail.com ...it means that you and I
    love to go for a hike to get nettles!
    I live in Burnaby, and if you can e-mail me,
    I'll give you the address.
    Yes, if you look online, you'll be amazed at it.
    We love the tea.
     
  24. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Never heard of bracken being used to treat nettle stings before, and wouldn't recommend it either given bracken's toxicity.

    The traditional treatment here for nettle stings is to rub dock (Rumex spp., usually Rumex obtusifolius) leaves on the sting.
     
  25. JoyC

    JoyC Member

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    Dock leaves, that sounds like something else to grow also!!
    Uh, oh, better not start something here, but thanks
    so much for the information. I just love herbs, and
    have for a long time. They are a slow method, but
    so much better because they do so much more.
     

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