Nettles for Marijuana: Everything You Need to Know
In today’s article, we will be discussing the use of nettles in marijuana cultivation. More specifically, we will explore how nettles can serve as an ideal supplement to improve the health of the crop and help the plant thrive. Continue reading to find out how exactly this herb can benefit the growth of marijuana.
Nettles for Marijuana: Everything You Need to Know
Nettle, known also as Urtica dioica, is often seen as a nuisance weed by many gardeners. Its extremely prolific growth means it can easily take over a plot of land if neglected even for a short period of time.
One reason that nettles are rarely talked about in regard to marijuana growth is due to their stinging properties. That is to say, it has a defence mechanism whereby the trichomes inject histamine into the skin upon contact, resulting in an unpleasant sting for anybody who touches them.
Despite its flaws, nettle is in fact a very beneficial herb that can be a valuable ally for gardeners, especially those who grow marijuana. Besides the benefit it can afford to other plants, the herb may also be used for medicinal purposes, and has been used as such for hundreds of years.
Benefits of Nettles for Marijuana Growth
Nettles belong to a special group of plants known as ‘dynamic accumulators’, which includes yarrow, borage, fava beans, comfrey, dandelion, miner’s lettuce and cherries. This group of plants readily absorb nutrients and minerals from the soil, storing them in highly bioavailable forms and concentrations in their leaves. As such, nettles serve as an excellent, nutrient-rich addition to botanical teas, home fertilizers, mulch or compost for use with marijuana and other such dynamic accumulators.
Studies show that fresh nettle leaves are loaded with high concentrations of Vitamins A, C, D, E, F, K, P and Vitamin B complex, along with significant amounts of minerals such as calcium, selenium, zinc, iron and magnesium, among others.
These green, leafy nettles are also high in nitrogen, chlorophyll and plant polyphenols, which support overall plant health and stimulate growth. Plant polyphenols in particular are potent antioxidants, known to fight cancer and stimulate the immune system.
While plants cannot get arthritis or cancer in the same way as humans, plants do have an immune system, meaning they can also get sick. In this way, the same compounds which make nettles so beneficial for human health also provide many of the same benefits to plants. For example, plants treated with nettle fertiliser are less susceptible to certain diseases due to the antibacterial and antifungal properties of nettles. Plants with a strong immune system are also less affected by pests or other stress factors, such as drought, heat or other such unfavourable conditions.
Companion Planting of Nettles for Marijuana
Companion planting or allelopathy is the act of growing other beneficial plant species in close proximity to your marijuana plants. Allelopathic plants are often selected for their ability to attract beneficial insects and repel harmful insects, as well as increasing the biodiversity of a garden or small farm.
Nettle is a multi-faceted allelopathic plant which plays a very important role in the growth of marijuana. This unique plant helps attract beneficial insects that will help protect your plants against hungry invaders and unwanted marauders. The nettle plant’s nutritious leaves attract ladybirds. When these majestic and helpful creatures are not sipping nettle nectar, they will patrol around your garden for another tasty morsel: aphids, one of the most invasive marijuana pests.
Aphids are soft-bodied insects that can appear in many different colours. These little creatures are extremely common marijuana pests that pierce leaves with their sharp mandibles and proceed to drain the plant’s internal juices. Planting nettles nearby almost guarantees the recruitment of a team of security ladybirds.
Nettles and Terpene Production
Another great advantage of using nettles as companion plants for marijuana is their ability to boost the resin production and terpenes like limonene of cannabis plants. Male nettle plants will disperse their pollen when the time is right, an act that is known to enhance the flavour of nearby edibles such as fruits and vegetables. This tactic can also be employed in cannabis cultivation.
Nettle pollen can increase the production of terpenes within the trichomes of cannabis plants, resulting in a much richer and more flavoursome resin. This in turn results in the production of much more attractive and better-tasting cannabis buds.
Nettles in the Compost Pile
Composting is an amazing, cheap and effective way to increase soil quality and biodiversity. Healthy soil should be full of microorganisms that help break down organic matter into available nutrients, and fungi that partner with plants to provide increased amounts of nutrients. Creating and maintaining a compost pile is a sure way to provide cannabis plants with a healthy, living rhizosphere.
Compost piles are made up of green matter that provides nitrogen, and brown matter that provides carbon. Optimal composting consists of a green:brown ratio of 2:1. Nettles are a fantastic source of green matter for marijuana cultivation. Due to their vertical growth, even a small handful of nettles can provide enough green matter to keep the compost pile well-stocked.
Nettle Compost Tea for Marijuana
Nettles can also be used as a fertiliser and are a good addition to compost tea. Simply place the nettle leaves in a container and soak them in fresh water for 1-3 weeks. Over this period, the mixture will ferment. Once this period is over, strain out the liquid fertiliser or compost tea.
Dilute the fertiliser in water with a 1:10 ratio of fertiliser:water for irrigation and 1:20 for foliar sprays. Nettles will provide your marijuana crop with large amounts of nitrogen, potassium, iron, magnesium, calcium, sulphur, copper and chlorophyll.
Nettles are not only beneficial for your cannabis crop, but can also be used to make a very nutritional tea for human consumption. Nettles are considered a superfood and a rich source of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. They are a great source of iron, potassium, zinc, magnesium, calcium and vitamins A, B1, B5, C, D, E and K.
It may not be hard to believe that nettles and cannabis are in fact genetically related. Because of their similar appearance, nettles can provide an excellent cover for outdoor cannabis crops and help to keep the crop more discreet. Growing cannabis inside a nettle canopy will increase discretion and could easily go unnoticed by nosy neighbours.
As you can see, there are huge benefits to incorporating nettles into your cannabis garden. Just keep them under control, as they can grow rampantly when overlooked, and make sure to avoid their sting!
Keep reading about understanding Cannabis at the cellular level and The Best cheap LED Lamps to grow Cannabis.
