3 ways to get rid of weeds and what to do with stinging nettle

When clearing overgrown ground to plant a new garden bed or lawn, extraordinary measures may be required to rid the area of stubborn weeds, brush, brambles, vines and, of course, stinging nettle.

You may not be able to eliminate all woody plants at once, so settle for a slow approach, and be persistent.

An easy way to clear undergrowth from a small area is by smothering it.

• Cut down all the unwanted vegetation in spring.
• Cover the ground with black plastic and anchor the edges with boards or stones. At summer's end, remove the plastic and dig up any remaining plants.

You can rent heavy-duty tools designed specifically for cutting through undergrowth.

• A brush trimmer is similar to a string trimmer but has a toothed metal blade instead of a filament line.
• If you have a lot of woody growth with trunks under five centimetres thick, a brush trimmer can do the job.
• To cut down dense grass mixed with brambles, you'll need a "brush hog," which resembles a lawnmower with a large front cutting deck.

• Use herbicides to clear undergrowth that won't respond to cutting, pulling or smothering — or those that shouldn't be touched, like poison ivy.

Keep in mind that you'll still have to go through and cut down the woody plants, even if they are dead. If you do resort to herbicides, they're best used after the site has been cleared, as a way to deter the little sprouts that will regrow from stumps left behind.

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is one of two plants that are called nettle. The other one, dead nettle, is an ornamental groundcover.

• Stinging nettle, on the other hand, is a weed that nonetheless has several uses.
• Scots maintain that the linens their countrymen weave from nettle are more durable and beautiful than those made from flax.
• Folklore holds that stinging nettle promotes the growth of some vegetables and increases the quantity of the essential oils found in herbs.
• Nettle also attracts beneficial insects and helps repel pests around fruit trees.

If nettle is growing wild on your land, plant there with confidence: the soil will be good for other plants.

Stinging nettle is hailed as a soil builder because its nitrogen-rich foliage decomposes to form humus that's said to be as potent as manure.

• Before nettle develops seeds, place branches on a newly turned bed.
• Let them decompose and dig them in.
• You can also add nettle to the compost heap.

Steep 450 grams of nettle leaves in four litres of water for at least a week, then water plants with the solution, a rich fertilizer and natural pest repellent.

Tiny hairs covering the foliage of nettle cause a burning and itching sensation that's as painful as a bee sting.

• Always wear leather or rubber gloves when touching the plant.
• To harvest leaves, pick from the bottom of the stem upward.
• If you're stung, rub your skin right away with an onion slice, sorrel leaves or rhubarb.