The One Companion Plant That Makes Marjoram Smell And Taste Better

Weeds are normally a dreaded sight in herb gardens since they compete with crops for light, water, and essential nutrients. They can become an even greater issue if you're growing marjoram, especially a low-growing variety like marjoram compact, that can easily get shaded out by larger plants. However, if the common weed in question is stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), you might want to hold off on your weed eradication plans. When stinging nettle is planted next to marjoram or other aromatic herbs with a ratio of one weed to ten herbs, it can significantly boost their essential oil content, making them smell and taste even better than before.

Although marjoram is low-maintenance and doesn't require much feeding, it can greatly benefit from a home-made fertilizer made from stinging nettle. This is mainly because stinging nettle contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. On top of that, this common weed can be used in a variety of ways around your garden, benefiting all your crops, not just your marjoram plants.

Unlike the majority of weeds, stinging nettle is an incredibly beneficial companion plant. Some might even call it the most companionable plant, and for a good reason. Due to their high nitrogen content, stinging nettles can stimulate the growth of nearby marjoram plants and make them more resistant to disease. They can also attract pollinators like butterflies and moths to further improve crop production and increase biodiversity.

Moreover, with their ability to easily break down into humus, stinging nettles can be used for mulching around your marjoram plants to provide nutrients, regulate soil temperature, and retain moisture. However, you should always be aware of some common mulching mistakes, such as excessive moisture buildup, which can lead to rot. Nettles can also boost the mineral content of your compost piles. You can use their green or slightly wilted leaves and stems to raise the temperature of the piles and speed up the decomposition process.

A pest-repellent spray made of fresh stinging nettles can also help you fight off some common marjoram pests like aphids. You can create this spray by soaking a handful of fresh nettles in 16 ounces of water, heating the mixture until it boils, and then covering it until it cools. You should then strain the mixture and dilute it with four parts water to one part "nettle juice" and use it on the affected plants. Be aware that you should always use thick gardening gloves when dealing with nettles, as their leaves contain tiny stinging hairs that can cause painful skin irritation.

The benefits of nettles don't stop at creating pest repellents or activating compost piles: They can also be used to create nettle foliar feed or fertilizer tea. This process is best done in late spring or early summer when stinging nettles are young and contain higher nitrogen content. You can begin by collecting as many stinging nettle plants as you can from your garden or nearby local fields.

Once you have all the plants you want, place them in a bucket and cover the nettles with water. You'd then want to submerge the weeds by weighing them down using a heavy container or a brick. In this part of the process, it's best to use rainwater, but you can also use tap water if necessary. Then, leave the nettles to soak for three to four weeks. When done, strain the leaves and use them in your compost pile, then dilute the nettle tea created with one part tea to ten parts water. The final result can be used as a nitrogen fertilizer for your plants.

It's important to know that marjoram needs a balanced nitrogen supply, especially if you're hoping to encourage flowering. You should be careful when applying this type of fertilizer, as too much can hinder the growth of flowers. However, if you're goal is green leafy growth, nettle fertilizer can be great for that.