How do i get rid of stinging nettles?

Hi, please bear in mind that nettles are a haven for wildlife, eg butterflies lay their eggs on them and in turn the caterpillars feed on them, also they attract aphid species which are a food source for ladybirds. However, if you need to get rid of some of the nettles I would suggest a glyphosate weedkiller, here in the UK it is generally sold under the trade name of Roundup. It is systemic killer which means the weed killer is taken in by the foliage and then transported to the remainder of the plant, including its roots. Needs to be done on a dry, still day in the growing season or as directed.

...Very important to do it on a totally wind-less day, as Dawn says - if the weedkiller drifts onto any other plants, it will KILL them too! Also it's wise to wear a mask.

i've used roundup for several years ,it works well but dont let it near a fish pond i will kill all fish

Also remember that weed killer is actually plant killer and cannot distinguish between species! A glyphosate-based chemical is best as it does not persist in the soil. If you'd rather be completely organic, pull up and dig up as much as you can and bin or burn it, the roots will survive in a compost heap. You could keep the area strimmed or mown for a while to make sure it doesn't come back. Good news is that the roots are not deep.

Somewhat old fashioned nowadays but the invention of the fork proved invaluable for digging up nettle roots.

Well, BB, Gaynor did say 'a large area'! Yes, I dig them out, I have to admit, as I don't like using weedkillers, but I only have a few of them!

Roots not deep volunteer ? Can I have some of yours then please mine go down for miles .