Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: wendycas on May 20, 2013, 11:16

Title: Can rhubarb leaves go in the compost??
Post by: wendycas on May 20, 2013, 11:16

Hi again
We were harvesting some rhubarb yesterday and merrily shoving the leaves in to the compost-is that OK? I know that the leaves are poisonous to eat and can be used in a tea as a bug killer on the plants..so are we making our compost poisonous?? :ohmy:
Cheers!

Title: Re: Can rhubarb leaves go in the compost??
Post by: mumofstig on May 20, 2013, 11:19

Yes they can put them in the compost bin  :)

Title: Re: Can rhubarb leaves go in the compost??
Post by: wendycas on May 20, 2013, 14:16

Great thank you!  :D

Title: Re: Can rhubarb leaves go in the compost??
Post by: Beetroot queen on May 20, 2013, 14:23

We have four bins available and I just alternate which I use for rhubarb leaves. Surely if they were that bad when the rot down at the end of the season they would damage the actual plant, wouldn't they ? :wacko:

Title: Re: Can rhubarb leaves go in the compost??
Post by: carlrmj on May 20, 2013, 19:14

 Rhubarb leaves contain  oxalic acid which although poisonous is broken down by the composting process and

 raises the acidity slighty . 

Title: Re: Can rhubarb leaves go in the compost??
Post by: Beetroot queen on May 20, 2013, 19:16

Quote from: carlrmj on May 20, 2013, 19:14

 Rhubarb leaves contain  oxalic acid which although poisonous is broken down by the composting process and

 raises the acidity slighty .

Would blueberries like a rhubarb tea then if you soaked them like you do comfrey or nettles

Title: Re: Can rhubarb leaves go in the compost??
Post by: Benandbill on May 21, 2013, 00:51

We have a water butt we put ours in.  It makes the water honk of something resembling sewage or sulphur and apparently if you water your brassicas with it it keeps the cabbage whites away  ;)

Title: Re: Can rhubarb leaves go in the compost??
Post by: kurwin on May 21, 2013, 13:04

knew rhubarb leaves are poisinus but never considered not putting them in compost bin. The only plants i don't compost is perenial weeds, toms aond potatos is there any others we shouldn't put in?

Title: Re: Can rhubarb leaves go in the compost??
Post by: savbo on May 21, 2013, 14:22

the edge of my pallet compost bin acts as a little chopping board where I top and tail my rhubarb...

:)

sav

Title: Re: Can rhubarb leaves go in the compost??
Post by: mumofstig on May 21, 2013, 14:30

I do the same thing here  :D