humidity will lead to yellowing leaf edges. In winter, this plant grows very slowly and doesn’t require a lot of water, so you can cut back on how much you water. Keep the soil well-drained, especially during winter and rainy days as soggy soil can cause root rot.
Propagating Dead Nettle
If you want to multiply the number of dead nettle plants you have, there are several methods you can use. These methods include:
- Cuttings – Snip off a six-inch piece of the plant and strip off the lower leaves. Dip the bottom of each cutting in a rooting medium and put it in perlite or moist sand in a pot or cup. Cover the plant with a plastic bag and water it to keep it moist. Within a few weeks, your dead nettle plant will start to develop roots. At this point, you want to carefully replant it outside in another pot in a potting soil.
- Division – Gently dig up your dead nettle plant in the spring or fall before separating it. Replant your divisions at a minimum of six inches apart.
- Stem Layering – All you have to do is push a stem that is still attached to the mother plant down into the ground and cover it with soil until you only see a tip. The tip will grow into a new plant.
How to Dry Dead Nettle
We’re going to outline several things you can use dead nettle for, and many of them require that you dry the plant first. To dry dead nettle, you:
- When there is no dew or rain on the plants, gather it up
- Turn each piece upside down and tap or shake it against your hand. This will dislodge the ants inside of the plant.
- Bring the dead nettle inside and spread them out in a single layer over a paper towel or clean dish towel.
- Let them air dry for several days until they’re completely dry.
- You can also dehydrate them by putting them in your dehydrator at 95 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit for one to four hours.
Drying plants is one way to make them last longer, and it allows you to use them in a huge range of projects.
Uses for Dead Nettle
There are several uses for dead nettle plants, and this can help add to the reasons why you may want to have this plant in your garden. Some popular uses include:
Edible Spring Food
You can eat purple dead nettle fresh, use it in pesto, or sprinkle it in salads. The fresh leaves can taste like a cross between overcooked green beans and spinach, so you may want to use them sparingly. Also, watch out for ants as they like to hide inside of the plant. When you pick it, make a point to turn it upside down and tap it to dislodge any ants before you bring it inside.
Steeping dried plants or herbs in oil will create a nice infused oil that you can then use to create lotions, balms, salves, and much more. To make an infused oil using dead nettle, you’ll need twice as much oil as a crumbled, dried plant. You:
- Fill your glass canning jar with ½ or ¼ dried, crumbled up dead nettle plant. You can also mix in other herbs like yarrow or calendula, depending on your end product goals.
- Fill the jar to the top with the oil you picked out and stir it. Apricot kernel oil will give you a slightly lighter feel, but sunflower or olive oil can both work well for most skin types. It’s also possible to mix oils.
Melt & Pour Soap Colorant
Dead nettles will lend a greenish-yellow or pale green color when you infuse it with a meltable soap base. To do this, you’ll need a few items, including:
- 1/4 tsp water
- 1/8 cup chopped fresh purple dead nettle
- 4 oz white melt and pour soap base
Put your dead nettle in the bottom of a half-pint container or canning jar, or a similarly-sized heat proof vessel. Add ¼ teaspoon of water and fill the jar using a soap base. If you want to jumpstart the infusing process, you can microwave your jar for 20 seconds until the soap starts melting. Next, put your jar down into a smaller saucepan with a few inches of water. Cover the jar with a lid and let it infuse for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the soap starts to take on a green coloring.
Remove the jar from the heat and pour the soap base through the strainer into your silicone soap molds. Once it cools and hardens, remove it from the mold and