Stingle nettle cordage

[Billy1]

Sorry if this has been asked before... why do the nettle fibers need to be left to dry out, when they have to be re-soaked in water to be twisted into cordage anyway?

I've had a go at doing this recently and the fibers appear to of just returned to the state they were in before I dried them.

Thanks

 

[Toddy]

If you make cordage from green nettles then as it dries, it loosens. It also sheds the skin particles that are left on it and some of the 'glue' (really just more plant material) that holds the whole skin togehter. The fibres we really want are the long water carrying cells that are joined together and run right up the plant from the root to the very tip.

When you dry them out the phloem cells collapse and won't reopen when soaked. But soaking the nettle once it's been dried makes it pliable and that makes it make a good rope/cordage. As it dries, since the phloem cells haven't swollen with water, the cordage doesn't slacken out of it's twist.

You can make very useable green cordage from nettle, but it's not as good, not as long lasting and not as strong as that made from cordage made from dried stems.

Is that any clearer ?

atb,
M

 

[Billy1]

Is that any clearer ?

atb,
M

Yes, thank you!

 

[Toddy]

You're welcome

Your nettles must be well ahead if you're making cordage from them already…..ours are lucky if they're a foot high.

M

 

[Billy1]

You're welcome

Your nettles must be well ahead if you're making cordage from them already…..ours are lucky if they're a foot high.

M

Probably not haha, I managed to find a few good ones, but most of them were too green and small and a bit too fragile. First time trying it though so I didn't really realise until I started stripping the leaves and the ends would break off leaving me with foot long sections lol.

 

[Harvestman]

My understanding (as no expert and having never made nettle cordage) is that nettle are best used for cordage after they have flowered. Best used as food before they have flowered.

 

[Toddy]

For fibre you do want to leave them to grow as long as possible, but you can make good cordage from them anytime they're past the really soft bright green new growth stage.

I usually reckon it like this.
First growth (and new growth if you prune them right back) for soup.
Next stage, when they're growing big dark leaves but the stems haven't gone hard, for tea, for drying and for seasoning (it acts like a salt for those who are on low salt diets).
Long growth for cordage, and that's too late to take for soup because the nettles grow tiny wee crystals in their leaves that aren't good for your kidneys.
Not saying you can't have some but it's not the best idea, iimmc.
For dye I get best results with late summer crops before the seed heads ripen.

Good stuff are nettles, apparantly hens do very well on them too.

M