The message
from Kate Morgan contains these words:

My original query was about drying nettles and they are for my old
horse to eat as they are good for neddies, but all the good idea`s
especially the wine have been great, thank you all

Ah, you should have said. I used to dry lucerne, and there are some
things to avoid: I'm presuming that nettles behave in a similar fashion
to clovers.

Dry the cut nettles as you would make hay, and when they are thoroughly
dry - leave them - wait till the leaves absorb enough moisture in the
evening before you bag or bale it, or much of the leaf will break up.

The Agricultural Research Council (as was) did some interesting research
on drying rapidly broad-leaved fodder crops, and a method was devised
where you spray lightly the leaves with a dilute solution of potassium
carbonate.

This is very hygroscopic and draws moisture from the stems, so the
leaves don't dry completely until the stems are dehydrated, and the crop
can be baled when the leaves are still flaccid.

When I had a smallholding I tried it on pea haulm, and the difference in
drying time between that and untreated haulm was impressive.

Thunder-storm approaching - ta-ta!

--
Tony
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