101 Uses For Stinging Nettles

Stinging nettles are, for many of us, nothing more than persistent weeds with a painful sting. But apart from having an important role in the web of life, nettles are an incredibly useful plant to mankind. They have been put to myriad uses by our ancestors, and many of these are still valid today. Already stinging nettle products are growing in popularity in the field of alternative medicine, as their wide range of health benefits becomes better known. This unique book explores the diverse uses of this fascinating plant - in the garden and the kitchen, for their medical and fibrous properties and so on. It is packed with practical suggestions, as well as a guide to the botany of stinging nettles, and how to collect and store them. For example, you will discover how to use nettles to: make a liquid plant fertiliser brew an unusual beer make a dandruff treatment protect beehives flavour an omelette make friendship bracelets repel flies naturally make green or yellow fabric dyes keep yourself warm in the winter and much more ... The many health benefits of taking nettles in various forms include relief from: hay fever and other allergies; acne and other skin conditions; arthritis and rheumatism; asthma; stress; high blood pressure; depression; enlarged prostate gland. The book also features Digital Nettle Art!

A recipe-complemented guide to edible plants that can be found in the British countryside shares essential facts about conservation, safety, legal concerns and necessary tools and includes additional information about seasonal growth cycles and cooking strategies. By the author of Mushrooms.

This book presents a flavour of activities focussed on the need for sustainably produced biomass to support European strategic objectives for the developing bioeconomy. The chapters cover five broad topic areas relating to the use of perennial biomass crops in Europe. These are: ‘Bioenergy Resources from Perennial Crops in Europe’, ‘European Regional Examples for the Use of Perennial Crops for Bioenergy’, ‘Genotypic Selection of Perennial Biomass Crops for Crop Improvement’, ‘Ecophysiology of Perennial Biomass Crops’ and ‘Examples of End-Use of Perennial Biomass Crops’. Two major issues relating to the future use of biomass energy are the identification of the most suitable second generation biomass crops and the need to utilise land not under intensive agricultural production, broadly referred to as ‘marginal land’. The two main categories of plants that fit these needs are perennial rhizomatous grasses and trees that can be coppiced. The overarching questions that are addressed in the book relate to the suitability of perennial crops for providing feedstocks for a European bioeconomy and the need to exploit environments for biomass crops which do not compete with food crops. Bioenergy is the subject of a wide range of national and European policy measures. New developments covered are, for example, the use of perennial grasses to produce protein for animal feed and concepts to use perennial biomass crops to mitigate carbon emissions through soil carbon sequestration. Several chapters also show how prudent selection of suitable genotypes and breeding are essential to develop high yielding and sustainable second generation biomass crops which are adapted to a wide range of unfavourable conditions like chilling and freezing, drought, flooding and salinity. The final chapters also emphasise the need to be kept an eye out for potential new end-uses of perennial biomass crops that will contribute further to the developing bioeconomy.

Become self-sufficient all year round with this handy guide to storing your garden produce. There is a huge sense of satisfaction in being so self-reliant that you can grow fresh fruit and vegetables all year. With less than an acre, you can cultivate enough produce to feed a family of four for an entire year – but as most produce is ripe in the summer and autumn, most of it will go to waste without proper storage. How to Store Your Garden Produce: The Key to Self-Sufficiency is a modern guide to storing and preserving your garden produce, enabling you to eat home-grown goodness all year round. The book is beautifully organised with the first part detailing a variety of creative storage methods, including basic storage, clamping, drying and vacuum-packing as well as pickles, chutneys, cheese, jams and jellies. The book also features an easy-to-use A-Z list of produce, in which each entry includes recommended varieties, suggested methods of storage and a range of delicious and unusual recipes to try out, from apple cider and strawberry wine to mushroom ketchup and pumpkin soup. With this helpful book, you'll know where your food has come from, save money, avoid packaging and eat home-grown food. Learn simple and enjoyable techniques for storing your produce and embrace the wonderful world of self-sufficiency.

The Most Thorough Compilation of Home Cures and Remedies Yet! Years ago, every household practiced natural healing by using what they had. Plants grow abundantly all over our roadsides, cities, and in your own backyard, and though once valued and widely used, they've fallen out of fashion over time as people forget the numerous medicinal uses at our fingertips. This book brings alternative medicine back to the forefront. Researched and written by a practicing medical herbalist and natural healer, and now with even more herbs and medicinal plants, The Big Book of Backyard Medicine is the basis for a veritable natural pharmacy that anyone can create. Featuring one hundred specific plants and their associated remedies, and fully illustrated with hundreds of color photographs, this book offers fascinating insights into the literary, historic, botanical, and global applications of common wild plants and herbs that can be used in medicines, including: Ash Chicory Dandelion Forget-me-not Gypsywort Horseradish Mint Red Poppy Thistle Wild carrot Willow And so much more! Anyone who wants to improve his or her health in a completely natural way will find this book to be an absolute must-have for his or her home—and garden.

This is not your grandmother's gardening book. You Grow Girl is a hip, humorous how-to for crafty gals everywhere who are discovering a passion for gardening but lack the know-how to turn their dreams of homegrown tomatoes and fresh-cut flowers into a reality. Gayla Trail, creator of YouGrowGirl.com, provides guidance for both beginning and intermediate gardeners with engaging tips, projects, and recipes -- whether you have access to a small backyard or merely to a fire escape. You Grow Girl eliminates the intimidation factor and reveals how easy and enjoyable it can be to cultivate plants and flowers even when resources and space are limited. Divided into accessible sections like Plan, Plant, and Grow, You Grow Girl takes readers through the entire gardening experience: Preparing soil Nurturing seedlings Fending off critters Reaping the bounty Readying plants for winter Preparing for the seasons ahead Gayla also includes a wealth of ingenious and creative projects, such as: Transforming your garden's harvest into lush bath and beauty products Converting household junk into canny containers Growing and bagging herbal tea Concocting homemade pest repellents ...and much, much more. Witty, wise, and as practical as it is stylish, You Grow Girl is guaranteed to show you how to get your garden on. All you need is a windowsill and a dream!

Presents information creating more than 120 herbal remedies from a variety of wild plants.