Seeing this all over the place and don't know much what to do with it apart from rubbing it (the juice) on nettle stings. Any other known uses folks? Thanks in advance!!
Uses for the Dock plant?
- Thread starter Jacko
- Start date
http://server9.web-mania.com/users/pfafardea/ - I recommend using this site, it has every specie you will ever be looking for within the UK; lists all known possible uses of any given plant. Whenever possible i enter every new plant in there that i see just to see if it's edible (once I've found out what the name is from a book that documents wild plant species within the UK). I often forget which docks are which though as there are a few! There is a big list on that site.
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Heyho ,
Even though it worked for me as a kid for nettle stings , when out with my kids I carry a whitchhazel/aloevera spray , I heard the dockleaf had just a placebo effect . After my son fell in a nettle patch I soon realised dockleaves were just so much bollox . hence the spray . It was a close call nettle stings on the throat are almost always incredibly serious .
To answer your question , No apart from taking your mind off a mild sting they have no use .
But thats wild dock , there are some cultivated types that are close to a sorrel ( I know nothing about these ) .
Actually I'd like to be told I'm wrong about wild dock , so much of it I'd like to find a use for it .
But , this is my experience of it .
Cheers , Trev .
Even though it worked for me as a kid for nettle stings , when out with my kids I carry a whitchhazel/aloevera spray , I heard the dockleaf had just a placebo effect . After my son fell in a nettle patch I soon realised dockleaves were just so much bollox . hence the spray . It was a close call nettle stings on the throat are almost always incredibly serious .
To answer your question , No apart from taking your mind off a mild sting they have no use .
But thats wild dock , there are some cultivated types that are close to a sorrel ( I know nothing about these ) .
Actually I'd like to be told I'm wrong about wild dock , so much of it I'd like to find a use for it .
But , this is my experience of it .
Cheers , Trev .
they can be used to wrap food in tied with nettle string & place under the coals of a fire to cook with, i made a woodpigeon breast with wild garlic parcel last week on a course...mmmmmm!
Thanks for all the info folks, thats grand 
As for the website link, well that is superb, just what I was after!!
As for the website link, well that is superb, just what I was after!!http://server9.web-mania.com/users/pfafardea/database/plants.php?Rumex+obtusifolius - If you hadn't found out yet by the way this is the most common dock.
What a lot of people don't realise is that you don't rub the dock leaf on the sting. You should screw it up in you hands and rub it between you hands until you can squeeze the juice out of the leaf. It is then this juice that you apply to the sting. This is much more effective than rubbing the leaf on the sting.
Not trying to preach to the more experienced on here but thought some of the less experienced might not have heard of this.
I've been told one of the best nettle sting cures is cleavers (goose grass / sticky bud plant) - bruise and crush to extract 'juice' just like dock
I've also heard that nettle uses in a similar way is the best still but that seems too much like a way of getting further stung, though I wouldn't be supprised if it's true.... I'll stick to doc / cleavers thanks!
I've also heard that nettle uses in a similar way is the best still but that seems too much like a way of getting further stung, though I wouldn't be supprised if it's true.... I'll stick to doc / cleavers thanks!
yup nettle juice works!
though i find unless you are making nettle cordage you aren't inclined to pick any, if you're already getting stung its no big deal
my grandpa taught me the same thing! interestingly enough, if you find nettles- you'll normally find dock plants growing nearby- has saved my ears from a lot of screaming kids over the years lol
