How to Kill Stinging Nettles

Here’s something that might surprise you: stinging nettles are actually one of the easier common UK weeds to kill permanently. Unlike bindweed or horsetail, nettle roots are shallow – most sit in the top 20cm of soil – and they don’t regenerate aggressively from fragments the way many perennial weeds do.

The problem isn’t the roots. It’s getting close enough to deal with them.

Every fine hair covering those stems and leaves is essentially a tiny hypodermic needle, ready to inject histamine into your skin the moment you brush against it. That burning, itching sting can last for hours. No wonder most gardeners would rather leave nettles alone than face the pain of removing them.

Here’s how to get rid of stinging nettles safely and permanently.

Why Nettles Take Over

Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) are perennials that spread through a network of yellow rhizomes just below the soil surface. These creeping underground stems can extend up to 1.5 metres in a single growing season, sending up new shoots as they go. In fertile, moist soil, the plants themselves can reach two metres tall.

Nettles thrive in nitrogen-rich soil – which is why they’re often found near compost heaps, old manure piles, and anywhere organic matter has been left to rot. If you see nettles, your soil is probably fertile. Cold comfort when you’re covered in stings.

Left unchecked, a small patch of nettles will spread outwards each year, forming dense colonies that crowd out other plants. They’re also prolific seeders – the small stinging nettle (Urtica urens), an annual relative, spreads almost entirely by seed and can produce thousands in a single summer.

How to Identify Stinging Nettles

Most gardeners can identify nettles by painful experience, but if you want to be sure before you start treatment, look for these features:

The leaves are heart-shaped with pointed tips and deeply serrated edges, growing in opposite pairs up the stem. Both leaves and stems are covered in fine hairs – some soft and harmless, others stiff and hollow, containing the chemicals that cause the sting. The stems are square in cross-section and can grow surprisingly thick on mature plants.

Nettles flower from late spring through autumn, producing small greenish-white clusters that hang from the leaf joints. These aren’t showy, but they’re worth watching for – once they appear, seeds won’t be far behind.

Don’t confuse stinging nettles with dead-nettles, which have similar-looking leaves but no sting. Dead-nettles have showier pink, white, or purple flowers and form low spreading mounds rather than tall upright colonies.

How to Get Rid of Nettles

The approach you take depends on how many nettles you’re dealing with and how much pain you’re willing to risk.

Digging Out

For small patches, digging out the roots is effective and permanent. The good news is that nettle roots are shallow – a border fork pushed to its full depth will get under most of the root system. The yellow rhizomes are easy to spot against dark soil.

The bad news is obvious: you need to get close. Wear thick leather gloves – thin fabric won’t stop the stinging hairs – and long sleeves tucked into the gloves. Some gardeners swear by rubber washing-up gloves, which the hairs can’t penetrate. Work methodically, following the rhizomes outward from each plant to remove the entire network.

Unlike bindweed, nettle root fragments don’t regenerate aggressively. You don’t need to get every last piece – just remove the bulk of the rhizome network and the stragglers will weaken over time.

Using Weedkiller

For larger patches, or if you’d rather not risk the stings, a systemic weedkiller containing glyphosate is the most effective option. Spray the foliage thoroughly when nettles are actively growing – from late spring through to early autumn. The chemical is absorbed through the leaves and transported down to the roots.

For nettles growing among plants you want to keep, you can use a weed wiper or paint the weedkiller directly onto nettle leaves with a brush. This keeps the chemical away from neighbouring plants while still delivering it to the nettle’s root system.

One application usually does the job, but check for regrowth and retreat any survivors. A strong weedkiller will clear most nettle patches within a few weeks. For particularly dense or stubborn infestations, you may need the strongest weedkiller available.

Cutting and Smothering

If you’d prefer to avoid chemicals entirely, repeated cutting will eventually exhaust the roots. Cut nettles back before they flower – ideally when they’re about 20-30cm tall – and keep cutting every time they regrow. This forces the plant to use its energy reserves without allowing it to replenish them through photosynthesis or seed production.

For severe infestations, cut the nettles down and then cover the area with thick mulch, weed membrane, or old carpet. Leave the covering in place for at least a year to starve the roots of light. This is slower than other methods but requires no close contact with the plants.

Related Injurious Weeds

Nettles are classed as an injurious weed alongside docks and thistles. All three often appear together in neglected ground and respond well to similar treatment approaches. If you’ve inherited an overgrown plot full of these weeds, our guide to clearing a neglected garden covers the systematic approach.

A Note on Wildlife

Before you clear every nettle from your garden, it’s worth knowing that they’re valuable for wildlife. Nettles are the main food plant for caterpillars of several butterfly species, including Red Admirals, Peacocks, and Small Tortoiseshells. They also attract aphids – which in turn attract ladybirds and other beneficial predators.

If you have space, consider leaving a small patch of nettles in an out-of-the-way corner. You can keep them contained by cutting back the edges regularly and removing flower heads before they set seed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I remove nettles without getting stung?

Wear thick leather gloves and long sleeves tucked into the gloves – thin fabric won’t stop the stinging hairs. Rubber washing-up gloves also work well. Alternatively, use a weedkiller to kill the nettles without having to touch them at all.

Do nettles come back if you cut them?

Yes, nettles will regrow from the roots after cutting. However, repeated cutting throughout the growing season gradually exhausts the root reserves. Cut them back every few weeks before they can flower, and most patches will weaken significantly within one to two seasons.

How deep are nettle roots?

Nettle roots are relatively shallow compared to other tough weeds. Most of the root system sits in the top 20cm (8 inches) of soil, making them easier to dig out than deep-rooted weeds like docks or horsetail. The yellow rhizomes spread horizontally rather than diving deep.

When is the best time to get rid of nettles?

Early spring is ideal for digging out nettles, when the young shoots are still small and the roots haven’t built up much energy. For weedkiller, wait until the plants have plenty of foliage to absorb the chemical – late spring through early autumn works well. Always treat before they flower to prevent seeding.

Should I keep some nettles for wildlife?

If you have space, keeping a small patch of nettles benefits butterflies and other wildlife. Red Admirals, Peacocks, and Small Tortoiseshells all depend on nettles as a caterpillar food plant. Contain the patch by cutting back the edges and removing flowers before they seed.

The good news is nettle roots don’t run as deep as most tough weeds – the bad news is getting close enough to deal with them. A weedkiller lets you kill nettles without the sting.