Nettle picking gloves?
- Thread starter janemacdd
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These, they really are thorn-proof (well, as far as that's possible)
Welcome to the forum by the way
I moved this thread here from the Intro forum.
“Garden glove” covers a wide range of possibilities. What were yours like? I have used Showa gripper gloves, they are rubber dipped. The backs are not nettle proof, but the rubber is. I have also used leather gloves and they were fine too.
“Garden glove” covers a wide range of possibilities. What were yours like? I have used Showa gripper gloves, they are rubber dipped. The backs are not nettle proof, but the rubber is. I have also used leather gloves and they were fine too.
For me a avoid fabric (the stings go through) or suede (hard to clean). Split hide work gloves made from solid leather are the best choice (and not the thin ones). These are great
I am surprised to hear that Marigold rubber gloves are nettle-proof, I just hadn't really thought of them like that. I am wondering whether there is any difference in the age or size of nettle one is trying to grasp, or how one is grabbing it. I don't imagine that there is much difference in strength between old and new silica needles, but there seem to be far more on the upper leafy parts than on the lower stems. If one is collecting for greens vs string, is there a difference?
While "standard garden gloves from a garden centre" leaves me no wiser as to what kind of gloves the OP got stung through I am wondering whether they were just some kind of woven material, no rubber dip or leather. I think my mum once had some canvas garden gloves, but I haven't seen anything like that for decades. Were stings through the backs, or through the palms/fingers? The Showa 308 grippers that I like are thick knit on the backs, probably fine for a brush against a nettle but I would be careful if I was hand sifting nettles. Wouldn't want too much contact on the backs.
Bet there are some "heavy Duty" rubber gloves in the super market that would do the job, and give protection on the wrists.
While "standard garden gloves from a garden centre" leaves me no wiser as to what kind of gloves the OP got stung through I am wondering whether they were just some kind of woven material, no rubber dip or leather. I think my mum once had some canvas garden gloves, but I haven't seen anything like that for decades. Were stings through the backs, or through the palms/fingers? The Showa 308 grippers that I like are thick knit on the backs, probably fine for a brush against a nettle but I would be careful if I was hand sifting nettles. Wouldn't want too much contact on the backs.
Bet there are some "heavy Duty" rubber gloves in the super market that would do the job, and give protection on the wrists.
I was once told that once the nettle has flowered the sting is less intense. I confess, I've not bothered to test the theory - I'm not a masochist.
As for marigolds, I just hate the way your hand gets sweaty in them after any reasonable period of use.
The other gloves I wear working are these - they claim to be puncture proof but I have had a dry bramble thorn go through them.
As for marigolds, I just hate the way your hand gets sweaty in them after any reasonable period of use.
The other gloves I wear working are these - they claim to be puncture proof but I have had a dry bramble thorn go through them.
I have a violent and super painful reaction to nettles that goes on for days. Since I started using marigolds, I've never had a problem getting my hands stung. I make loads of nettle cordage so I need sting proof gloves. My marigolds are always in my foraging kit bag.
I got laughed at when I complained about getting my hands stung (on my first job) at Delamere Forest. The old guys got stuck in and I just did the same but my hands hummed all evening.
Garden Centre Gloves?
Oh the irony
These are a relatively new gift bought from a local garden centre.
(Not mine - my Neanderthal hands don’t fit into any normal gloves)
They are a loose weave textile and the palms are just as open between the plastic dots. You wouldn’t get any protection from anything remotely rigid.
Garden Centre Gloves?
Oh the irony
These are a relatively new gift bought from a local garden centre.
(Not mine - my Neanderthal hands don’t fit into any normal gloves)
They are a loose weave textile and the palms are just as open between the plastic dots. You wouldn’t get any protection from anything remotely rigid.
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I have an excellent trick to prevent you feeling that sweaty feeling with marigolds. All you have to do is fill them with jelly (or cat food) and voila! No sweaty feeling guaranteed
Ah, but not all Briers Garden Centre gloves are equal
My wife bought these today; I think they would definitely be nettle proof!
Afraid i'm one of the weird ones, stings don't seem to bother me any longer, i suppose because i've been stung so many times, i happily strip nettles down bare handed and even going as far as a bit of self flagellation with them on my hands and knees as the formic acid seems to help the arthritic joints and i kinda like the tingly sensation, yeah yeah i know - weirdo
I do of course get stung and the red stemmed nettles from woodland edges seem to be the worse, but i also understand that some people find them incredibly painful, when i did wear gloves to collect and work with them, i just used to use leather rigger gloves or something similar to the Briers Broch has posted above.
I do of course get stung and the red stemmed nettles from woodland edges seem to be the worse, but i also understand that some people find them incredibly painful, when i did wear gloves to collect and work with them, i just used to use leather rigger gloves or something similar to the Briers Broch has posted above.
Marigolds, or Ikea's version thereof
My work gloves are the sort of dipped stretchy fabric ones, and they are excellent, but they are not nettle proof, and like Woodygirl I suffer after I've been stung.
I hear all the comments about, 'Just grasp firmly', and think, "Aye, but it doesn't work.' It hurts. Indeed deliberately stinging gives the body something to fight against instead of attacking it's own immune system. RA....but the stings still hurt. Not a lot of fun when faced with a huge pile of nettles to work through.
My preferred gloves are leather gardening ones, but nowadays they are made with short fingers and I end up rubbed into blisters where the seams are at my pinky/ring finger.
So Arco's work gloves for most things, and marigolds for the nettles.
My work gloves are the sort of dipped stretchy fabric ones, and they are excellent, but they are not nettle proof, and like Woodygirl I suffer after I've been stung.
I hear all the comments about, 'Just grasp firmly', and think, "Aye, but it doesn't work.' It hurts. Indeed deliberately stinging gives the body something to fight against instead of attacking it's own immune system. RA....but the stings still hurt. Not a lot of fun when faced with a huge pile of nettles to work through.
My preferred gloves are leather gardening ones, but nowadays they are made with short fingers and I end up rubbed into blisters where the seams are at my pinky/ring finger.
So Arco's work gloves for most things, and marigolds for the nettles.
Having worked from one end of the country to the other, I can say with some painful experience that the nettles are of differing potency in different areas.
Some literally feel like shards of acidic glass in the skin, and the pain lasts for days, while others are just a sort of ouch and a tingle.
Seasonality didn't seem to alter that much.
That said, I pick a fair amount of young nettles for soup/tea and usually leave the older ones for fibres. The local nettles are pretty brutal, but the worst ones I found were up the Clyde valley on an old farm steading. Gentlest ones were near Aberdeen.
I think they're like elderflowers and they're all different, but they all sting.
Good stuff though
Some literally feel like shards of acidic glass in the skin, and the pain lasts for days, while others are just a sort of ouch and a tingle.
Seasonality didn't seem to alter that much.
That said, I pick a fair amount of young nettles for soup/tea and usually leave the older ones for fibres. The local nettles are pretty brutal, but the worst ones I found were up the Clyde valley on an old farm steading. Gentlest ones were near Aberdeen.
I think they're like elderflowers and they're all different, but they all sting.
Good stuff though
I have an allergic reaction to them and the stinging will be painful and last days - but then, I get that from the Christmas tree as well
But, yep, fantastic resource!
But, yep, fantastic resource!
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