Not as awful as Debb's day . . .

[Stacey Jewell Stahl]

. . . yesterday I started tending the neglected perennial gardens at our new house. We had garage saled our gardening stuff 4 years ago, so I didn't have a hoe. I had bought gardening gloves but forgot to put them on before pulling weeds. I was on the third bed when I grabbed a tall weed and screamed in pain. The plant had micro thorns on it as sharps as shards of glass. I felt like I had been stung by 100 miniature bees! Alannah saw me do this and said, "Let me see!" and she yanked on it before I could say "No!" She was in pain now, too. I went on to pull a few more weeds and I said to Alannah, "Is your hand burning?" She answered yes. My hands and forearm felt like they were on fire! I looked down and could see mini blisters forming. I immediately told Alannah to run with me to the house to wash our hands. Michael drove us to the drug store to buy some Benadryl to stop the reaction. This morning the blisters are gone and it's like it never happened.

Anyone know what this weed could be? It's about 2 feet tall and light green in color, no flowers and you cannot see the thorns on the stem.

[Amy Eileen]

Oh wow, I have never heard of that I dont think. Good that things are better with you and Alannah today though. I wonder what it is... :confused:

[Linda Paulson]

Oh dear Stacey....that's scary, especially since Alannah grabbed it too!
I ALWAYS wear gloves - but that's because creepy, crawly things freak me out and I don't want to be grabbing one accidently! :)

Did the weed look like this?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Brennnessel_1.JPG/240px-Brennnessel_1.JPGhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d2/Illustration_Urtica_dioica0.jpg/180px-Illustration_Urtica_dioica0.jpg
I'm wondering if it might have been a stinging nettle?? OUCH!!!

[ArtcTrish]

I have no idea but I'm glad you guys are better!

[rlma]

Ack! Sounds painful! But thank goodness you had the presence of mind to grab some Benadryl. (((((Stacey & Alannah)))))

[Stacey Jewell Stahl]

Oh dear Stacey....that's scary, especially since Alannah grabbed it too!
I ALWAYS wear gloves - but that's because creepy, crawly things freak me out and I don't want to be grabbing one accidently! :)

Did the weed look like this?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Brennnessel_1.JPG/240px-Brennnessel_1.JPGhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d2/Illustration_Urtica_dioica0.jpg/180px-Illustration_Urtica_dioica0.jpg
I'm wondering if it might have been a stinging nettle?? OUCH!!!

THIS IS IT!! A stinging nettle!!! THANK YOU! We are back home from an outing and I'll be heading outside with my gloves on to get rid of the two stinging nettles I've seen so far.

[carla]

Linda beat me to the photo's, but I am glad that you thought quick enough to get something to stop the reaction that you both were having!

Here is some additional information:
Stinging nettle has a long medicinal history. In medieval Europe, diuretics and remedies for joint problems were made from stinging nettle. Healers in several traditions used the branches of stinging nettle to strike the arms or legs of paralyzed patients in order to activate their muscles. This whipping technique is also used in some healing traditions to stimulate the organs and
relieve the pain of sore muscles.

The stinging hairs on nettle are sharp polished spines that contain histamine and formic
acid, irritating chemicals that are released when the plant comes in contact with the skin.
While the hairs, or spines, of the stinging nettle are normally very painful to the touch,
when they come into contact with an area of the body that is already in pain, the chemicals
can actually decrease the original pain. This is why stinging nettle is called a
counterirritant. Applying juice from the stinging nettle to the skin can actually relieve
painful nettle stings or insect bites.

[Christine Haskell]

ew! ow! wow! dang! so glad the benedryl helped! get rid of those thangs!:eek:

[Stacey Jewell Stahl]

I just pulled about 50 stinging nettles from two overgrown beds. I used my gloves this time!

In one large bed I have more lilies of the valley than I have valleys! I could prune 2/3 of them and have a nice, neat bed. In that same bed are other perennials that I don't know the name of (they desperately need pruning too), plus a shrub that is being overtaken by a thorny berry. I think we need a trellis!

In the front of the house and next to the garage are day lilies. I'll be pulling those out and planting bulbs and leaving room for annuals. You know I'm a PINK girl and orange day lilies do nothing for me. My mom and I both detest them. She grew up on a farm and orange day lilies grow like weeds in ditches. In our first house I pulled a bunch of orange day lilies and replanted with tulips and hyacinth in PINK, of course.

Michael spent about 2 hours mowing the front lawn and finally had to stop when the blade bent after chopping a fallen branch that was over an inch in diameter and only a couple of inches long. The back yard hasn't been touched yet! Oh, well. We certainly have time this summer to get the yard looking like someone lives in the house. :)

[Stacey Jewell Stahl]

Linda beat me to the photo's, but I am glad that you thought quick enough to get something to stop the reaction that you both were having!

Here is some additional information:
Stinging nettle has a long medicinal history. In medieval Europe, diuretics and remedies for joint problems were made from stinging nettle. Healers in several traditions used the branches of stinging nettle to strike the arms or legs of paralyzed patients in order to activate their muscles. This whipping technique is also used in some healing traditions to stimulate the organs and
relieve the pain of sore muscles.

The stinging hairs on nettle are sharp polished spines that contain histamine and formic
acid, irritating chemicals that are released when the plant comes in contact with the skin.
While the hairs, or spines, of the stinging nettle are normally very painful to the touch,
when they come into contact with an area of the body that is already in pain, the chemicals
can actually decrease the original pain. This is why stinging nettle is called a
counterirritant. Applying juice from the stinging nettle to the skin can actually relieve
painful nettle stings or insect bites.

Hmmmm. . . maybe I should have saved a couple of those plants for when I get aches and pains? ;) Interesting! I have never heard of this weed before.

[gabbyxx]

Ow, ow, ow - glad it's all better now and Carlas info was really interesting!!

[showme]

Oh, Stacey, the PAIN of getting settled in a new home! Will pray that the next days are easier than the stingling nettle you and Alannah experienced!

[Lianne]

Growing with the stinging nettle is normally a plant called Dock. If you rub the underside of the leaf on your sting it will releave the pain.

Other examples of poisons and their remedies may well coexist in your backyard. While not dreaded as much as poison ivy, stinging nettle weed (not to be confused with the deadnettle discussed in my article on shade-loving plants) is certainly a backyard nuisance. When pricked by its spines while working out in the garden, your skin will feel like it's on fire! Fortunately, this bane, too, has its balm -- often growing right alongside it. I refer to Rumex crispus, better known as dock. After using this weed's juice to relieve your nettle stings, you'll be tempted to alter that spelling to d-o-c....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v639/lianne_rowlinson/crispus-4b.jpg

Lianne

[Stacey Jewell Stahl]

I saw no docks in the mess of lilies of the valley, stinging nettles and one other plant I don't know the name of. I think I'll take some pix and ask people to help me identify the stuff I don't know. Thanks for more info!

[Debb Cozzi]

Hey Stacey....maybe you could make this part of your challenge, "Name this plant, scrap it and win a prize!" ;) :D :D