In article , Franz Heymann notfranz.
writes

If may go off at a tangent: What is it that is special about nettles
as far as making an infusion is concerned? Can one not just dump
*all* one's green weeds in a barrel of water?

Young nettle leaves break down more quickly, and they have a lower
fibrous content - they are also edible to humans, thus they are
perfectly safe to use on food plants as well as being truly organic.

This year I am using comfrey instead of nettles. Just as good, but they
take a bit longer to biodegrade and they are more fibrous.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.