Rhubarb Plant Mulch can help out in the garden!
As a girl, I remember my mother warning me to not eat rhubarb leaves; since then, I’m nervous with them. As nature would have it, we learn by observation; I find I often do things as she does around my gardens. She and I both keep weeds down, by turning rhubarb leaves upside down, placing them around the base of the plant, stem side in. I didn’t know why that was done. I’ve since learned that I could expand upon this homesteading trick.
- According to Iowa State University’s “Safety Concerns about Rhubarb” oxalic acid breaks down and neutralizes, you can safely work composted leaved into the soil; the concern with letting leaves decompose around plants is removed.
- According to the National Library of Medicine rhubarb leave poisoning, it is the oxalic acid in rhubarb leaves that make it poisonous. They do note that Anthraquinone glycosides might also contribute to the poison in the leaves. The NLM lists symptoms and treatment (call 911) of rhubarb leave poisoning, it really sounds like serious business.
This DIY plant mulch should an easy add-on for any gardener who has access to rhubarb.
I’ll put it in a printable recipe format.. I’m nice like that.
The photo tutorial:
Step one: Harvest leaf:
Rhubarb ready for mulching
Step Two: split leaf
Splitting leaf for mulching
Step Three: Done, it took longer to write this post than to do the project
Fall spinach is protected and mulched.
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Hmm, this is an interesting mulching method. I’ll give it a try.
Glad to have found your blog 🙂
Cheers
My mother did this for years to block out weeds and it worked well for her and her rhubarb was huge.