IT’S NETTLE SEED TIME!!!
The plants are hanging heavy with lovely nettle seeds, get out and pick them and make tea or dry for through the winter. These seeds are great for fatigue syndromes, acting on the adrenal glands and kidneys to help restore and balance energies within the body.. our home grown gentle but invigorating version of the ‘Ginsengs’
Use dried or fresh seeds to make an infusion (tea) for regular use throughout the winter, this will help keep energies up, reduce the effects of SAD, chronic fatigue and winter sluggishness. To make a stronger medicine, the seeds can be gently simmered for 10-15 mins and the water drank throughout the day Don’t forget no stimulant will fix a depleted body so always work on getting excellent nutrition, using healing foods for the nervous system, eg. porridge oats, sleeping well, taking plenty of time to exercise the body and find peaceful moments to relax and of course a healthy dose of FUN and enjoyment…But nettle seeds can really help too.
Nettle seeds have been slightly forgotten about over the recent years but their adaptogen and stimulating action are bringing them back into use again. Thank goodness. The amazing nettle has to be my favourite plant and these seeds are its wonderful final offerings before it sinks itself quietly down through the winter and readies itself for giving us another wonderful year of all its healing gifts.
So if you go out walking through the country side you will see the patches of nettles growing in various different places, under trees in the corners of fields, in the hedgerows, by the water..you’ll get to know where they like to be. Some may still be holding on or even still growing their small while flowers so the tendrils coming from the stems will be less droopy and lighter in colour than the ones that are heavy with seeds.
Choose plants heavy with hanging green seeds, don’t chose too many from the one are. Be sensitive to what the plants are telling you about when is enough from one area. if your quite and peaceful you’ll feel the moment to move on. Give thanks for every stem you take, with a happy smile of course at the thought of the loveliness your collecting for yourself and those around you. Nettle will be happy with that.
As has been advised by many a learned herbalist it’s best to pick the whole stem and take these home rather tan trying to get seeds from the plants directly. You can still use the leaves and stems or add them to your compost. Hand the plants for an hour or so to give all the insects a chance to get out. There will be a lot of them!! store your fresh seeds and use over the next few day. Or you can hang them for longer until air dried and then shake off the seeds and store in a dry, dark, labelled container to use through the winter or to make tincture etc with.
ENJOY
Nettle seeds in August time