Rhubarb leaves are poisonous to both humans and animals (including dogs). However, that doesn't mean you should throw them away. A manure or a decoction made from them has numerous benefits for your plants. Find out how you can use rhubarb leaves in the garden in this article!
Rhubarb is a sweet and sour vegetable whose season is in spring. You can use it in many recipes, but as mentioned above, its leaves should be removed as they are poisonous to humans and animals. The reason for this is that they contain large amounts of oxalic acid, which in certain amounts can be very harmful to your kidneys. But these leaves can be very useful for your garden. How?
To strengthen plants: Rhubarb leaves have the ability to both promote the growth of your plants and make them resistant to disease. The reason for this is that they contain a lot of potassium. We therefore recommend that you fertilize your plants with rhubarb leaf manure in spring when they need more help and in autumn to prepare them for winter. We will now explain to you how to prepare the manure.
Against pests and diseases: A decoction of rhubarb leaves can help if your plants are already sick or infested with pests. It is very effective against aphids, caterpillars and the cabbage fly.
Rhubarb leaf manure as fertilizer and against aphids and caterpillars
Aphids and caterpillars can be quite a nuisance for all home gardeners who grow vegetables and plants. However, rhubarb leaf manure can help you deal with the annoying invaders. It is also an environmentally friendly alternative for pest control and can also be used as fertilizer. Find out here how to prepare and use a rhubarb leaf mixture
- Notice: The diluted manure can be used as fertilizer and the undiluted one can be used as an extract to combat aphids and caterpillars. Prepare the manure outdoors. Fermentation can lead to odors.
- Take a large bucket and fill it with water.
- Add the rhubarb leaves (1 kilo per 10 liters of water).
- Leave the bucket and wait a few days (stir the mixture twice a day).
- The natural fermentation process begins after about three days. You can tell this by the bubbles that form in the water.
- As soon as bubbles no longer form (10 to 14 days), the rhubarb liquid is ready and you can strain it. You can use a kitchen strainer or an old cloth for this. You can store the manure in plastic bottles or a bucket.
The fermentation process: The fermentation process takes a maximum of 10 to 14 days. In warm weather, the rhubarb leaf manure is sometimes ready earlier. To prevent debris from blowing into the bucket, you can cover it with an upside down bucket, but be sure to allow enough oxygen to reach the mixture.
Using rhubarb leaves in the garden - this is how you use the manure: If you want to use the manure as fertilizer, first dilute it with water. Maintain a ratio of 1 to 10. So you can make 100 liters of fertilizer from 10 liters of brew. You can pour the manure onto the soil around the plants. Thanks to the substances it contains, the plants will grow well and develop greater resistance to aphids and caterpillars. Apply the mixture to the plants once a week or every two weeks.
How can you use cucumber peels as fertilizer? Thefind out here!
Using rhubarb leaves in the garden - How to prepare a decoction against pest infestation
If you are suffering from a pest infestation that you want to get rid of immediately, you can try making a rhubarb leaf decoction, which is extremely effective against the pests.
- Take about a kilo of rhubarb leaves.
- Cut the leaves into strips.
- Cook the rhubarb leaves in a pot with 2 liters of water for about 20 minutes.
- Allow the mixture to cool.
- Strain the extract.
- Add a tablespoon of natural soap.
- Now further dilute the mixture with water (in a ratio of 1 to 4)
Use rhubarb leaves in the garden – this is how you use the decoction:You can now spray the broth over the plants. Preferably do this on a cloudy day as you are less likely to burn the leaves. The soap in the recipe helps the brew stick better to the leaves. If you don't want to use soap, you can also try using sugar.
