[Pepperpincushion]

I will start by saying I am rubbish at gardening! So my question might be a bit obvious/stupid but . .
I have an area at the side of the house that is just kind of waste land where I throw garden rubbish (trimmings, weeds, grass cuttings etc) and I also have a compost area which is just a section of wire grids cable tied together.
My question is - is there anything I can do about the enormous amount of nettles that are growing in this area without actually chucking loads of weed killer over them? Last year they grew to nearly head height and took over!

[Yorkie]

Nettles are a perennial weed so you either have to put up with them returning every year, or find a way to get rid of them.

As you've identified, weedkiller is one option.  If you can't dig them out and don't want to use chemicals, you either need to smother them with weed fabric / cardboard or keep cutting them off - this may weaken them over time.

[Pepperpincushion]

Well I have loads of cardboard boxes! So I could just flatten some out and lay them over the area?

[sion01]

You could use them as a really good composting material.As they are really deep rooting they bring up minerals that other plants can't reach.You can also make a really good soup with the young shoots.I like to use fish stock as the base as the flavour seems to really compliment the nettles.

[N.WalesIdealist]

Chop them down, put them through a shredder or chop into chunks with secateurs, stuff into a hessian sack or some old tights and put that in a water butt. A couple of weeks later you'll have a lovely nettle tea that will do all your plants some good. For the roots, I'd recommend levelling it and if you can, dig out as many roots as you can see. If you're not keen digging, level the site and build a proper compost bin on top, add a few inches of mulch (straw, wood chipping etc.) and use as normal!

[Ruby Red]

Cant see what the problem is anyway if they are growing where all your compost and rubbish is. :blink:

[arugula]

Yes, eat them! Make nettle tea or compost what you can't or don't want to eat.

[catllar]

If you have nettles it means you have great soil - lucky you - I'd do what's  already been suggested - eat the young shoots, compost the tougher bits afte shredding or running over them with you lawn mower and/ or make nettle medecine for your other plants (this is vvvvvv smelly though - so not near your house if possible!)

Digging out the roots is only going to work if you get every bit, but smothering them with your cardboard (or polythene or carpet )is a less tiring solution. You could also consider leaving some as a food source for wildlife.

[Growster...]

"If you have nettles it means you have great soil - lucky you"!

Beat me to it Catllar!

Isn't there a bit too much 'covering' these days? Is it a good substitute to digging?

[Pepperpincushion]

Thanks - lots of great suggestions! 

[catllar]

If the nettles are dug and any bits are missed then away they'll go again. I'm not one for digging  if at all possible.  Nature doesn't dig and soil improves quite nicely all by itself if you just layer on muck in the autumn and let worms and winter do the hard work, and you don't destroy the soil layers  that all those little beasties living in the soil have worked so hard to achieve - that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Mind you, if you like digging then go for it! There's more than one way to skin a cat!

[Pepperpincushion]

Digging isn't top of my list of things to do, so I like your thinking