Growing nettles in root pouches

Hi,

I have no gardening experience and would like to grow stinging nettle in root pouches (placed outdoors):
https://rootpouch.com/products

I was wondering, if anyone knows these root pouches.
Especially which size would you chose for growing nettles? - Fewer big ones or many small ones?
Also they have the "Boxer Line", which is made of 100% recycled water bottles. And they have for example the black ones, which are a blend of PET and natural fibers. Which one would you chose?

Thank you for your help!

Peter Wilker wrote:Hi,

I have no gardening experience and would like to grow stinging nettle in root pouches (placed outdoors):
https://rootpouch.com/products

I was wondering, if anyone knows these root pouches.
Especially which size would you chose for growing nettles? - Fewer big ones or many small ones?
Also they have the "Boxer Line", which is made of 100% recycled water bottles. And they have for example the black ones, which are a blend of PET and natural fibers. Which one would you chose?

Thank you for your help!

I use the grey ones for growing trees.  They have pluses and minuses.  I think they do help with establishing a good root system, but they dry out quickly and have to be watered a lot.  I have no idea how they would work with nettles though.

I have heard good things about using the grow pouches to grow in, but as Trace pointed out, they need frequent watering. Because of that, if I was going to use them, I would make sure to get one larger than needed and use an olla in it. I use ollas a lot with my plants that are in pots. They work beautifully, the plants take the water they need, and I don't have to add water often at all. It's a win, win, win. I make the ollas myself out of clay plant pots which is a very inexpensive way to make them. There are quite a few videos showing how to make them. Feel free to ask me anything about them, too.

Why?

What end result are you hoping for?

Do stinging nettles already grow in your area? If so, why not wild harvest what you need?

We have stinging nettles here and they are forever seeding in my cultivated beds. I would happily not have them, as they reduce my fun. They mean I can’t comfortably garden barefoot, or pull weeds without gloves.

Michael Cox wrote:Why?

What end result are you hoping for?

Do stinging nettles already grow in your area? If so, why not wild harvest what you need?

We have stinging nettles here and they are forever seeding in my cultivated beds. I would happily not have them, as they reduce my fun. They mean I can’t comfortably garden barefoot, or pull weeds without gloves.

They hide out in my strawberries and ambush me :( Are you planning on burying the pouches? either way I would go for large ones, nettles get to be pretty big.

Nettles have a fine, web-like root system.  I would imagine that if your growing medium had some chunks of decomposed wood chips or bark in it, the nettles would thrive in root pouches.  But beware: once they go to seed, they'll send see everywhere and then you'll likely get volunteer nettles in the future.  So be thoughtful about where you grow it.

My great nettle growing experiment ended with me pulling them up and then continuing to eradicate them for a couple of years.  Two reasons: 1, I wasn't crazy about the taste or texture.  For readily available greens, I prefer moringa and collards.  2, I hated getting stung by them when I was picking oranges or working in the garden.  My wife especially HATED them, because she was forever stumbling into them.  She's not one to curse, but I got an earful several times about "Those #$%@%#**%! Nettles!"

Before you go to great lengths to grow them, make sure you enjoy them.

I'm not sure where you're located, but please be careful with stinging nettles.

I'm pretty sure someone planted a non-native species (the perennial type) in my yard on purpose, years ago. It has no natural controls here and it's incredibly invasive. I have been in full-out combat for five years to keep it from spreading everywhere and dominating the landscape, including natural forest.

Apologies if this offends anyone. I know many of you love it, for many reasons.

My only plea: please think it through before you plant.

Thank you all for the really great tips!
Ans also thank you for the warnings regarding nettles spreading everywhere.
I'm 100% sure that I want to grow nettles. I like them very much and will use them regularly. Since I don't have one single nettle in my entire garden, I have to grow them.
I didn't want to grow them directly in the ground, for the reasons you mentioned (spreading everywhere). I thought that I'm more or less on the safe side, if I grow them in root pouches, since they are contained.
So is there still substantial risk of the nettles taking over the garden, eben though they are grown in root pouches? What's a better altnerantive to grow them "safely"?

And the tip with the ollas sounds great. Everything that makes growing more comfortable is welcome.

Thank you!

cut them down before they seed and keep on top of seedlings, at least nettles are easy to pull out when they are small.

I would imagine that if your growing medium had some chunks of decomposed wood chips or bark in it, the nettles would thrive in root pouches

Your idea of adding wood chips seems good.
I also read that nettles like nitrogen, so I could add so called "horn meal", which is a natural nitrogen-rich fertilizer.

So basically what basic growing medium should I chose and what percentages of wood chips and horn meal should I add? What comes on the bottom, what at the top?

Thank you all again!

I have purchased the root pouches and nettle seeds. I just need to get the right earth now.
Would "humus" be a good growing medium?

Thanks again!