Where to get stinging nettles/ alkanet seeds

[Matt84]

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

[Two_Sheds]

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?

[Two_Sheds]

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

[Matt84]

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!

[Glutton4...]

If you want a nettle patch, just spread a bucket of horse sh*t around and they'll appear like magic!

[Paulottie]

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.

[elsie-scot]

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

[Jeanied]

Oh my goodness - nettle juice is a rennet substitute! How come this is not commonly known about???

[Two_Sheds]

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.

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).

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.

[Paulottie]

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.

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?

[Alison]

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.

[Two_Sheds]

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

not in any great number, no

[Liza]

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 !

[Drucil]

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.

[Two_Sheds]

Planting nettles encourages ...

... more nettles