Nettles as mulch?

[Bluejane]

I have some nettle tea brewing away and getting smellier and smellier - not quite ready yet - but it occurred to me that you might be able to use nettles as a mulch - just cutting them back and putting the stems and leaves between rows of veg/around plants. I believe you can use cut and wilted comfrey leaves as a mulch for tomatoes and the like (I'm about to try this anyway), but what about nettles?
Has anyone tried this, and if so, what veg can you use them for? (My peas and
broad beans look as if they could do with a bit of a boost at the moment...)
I'd be grateful for any advice!

[Bluejane]

[wivvles]

I've used comfrey as a mulch around my tomatoes - doesn't seem to be doing any harm, only time will tell if it's helping.

I would've thought that nettles could be used in teh same way, but I'm sure that someone on here must have tried it and will spill the beans....

[redimp]

I have thought about this but with comfrey you have to make sure you do not get any stem on the ground.  I do not know whether the same can be said of nettles or not - hopefully somebody will answer that query on here now - it's one I have been meaning to getting round to asking.

[kenkew]

I'm wondering if nettles (pre-flowering) would make a good slug defence......summat to think about.

[Amazin]

Redclanger, I'm planning to grow comfrey as it seems to be such a useful plant.  You said that, for mulching, you have to make sure you do not get any stem on the ground. How come?

[redimp]

It roots and a new comfrey plant results - comfrey is very hard to get rid of because its roots are very deep and they break when you try to get them out - this is why you have to choose your comfrey site carefully with an eye on the long term.

[Amazin]

Ah, that explains it! Many thanks.

Comfrey seems to have a lot in common with dandelions -wouldn't it be great if they were as useful? Dandelion mulch?    :o

If only... reckon I could supply the entire country    ;D

[portway farm]

yeh we have done it and it breaks down fairly quickly, but in the rain looks slippery and squishy. This year we used the nettles to make a hedge row around the compost area and green house to screen them off and blend them into nature. We have used aubiose as mulch this year as slugs do not like it - too harsh for them, but the plants love it - its a form of hemp horse bedding.

[Bluejane]

Thanks, everyone - I'll give it a go. Can't do any harm, anyway - and if it does keep the slugs off, so much the better! If I get any amazing results I'll let y'all know ...