Can you use rhubarb leaves as fertilizer?

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table of contents

  • Benefits of rhubarb leaf fertilizer
  • Make broth
  • Make brew
  • Rhubarb leaves on compost
  • frequently asked Questions

Who in the kitchen rhubarb processed the question is whether the leaves that are not used could still be used in the garden. It can make perfect sense to use the rhubarb leaves to fertilize the other plants in the bed or pot.

In a nutshell

  • Rhubarb leaves are high in potassium
  • important nutrient for plants to regulate water balance
  • strengthens plants and increases winter hardiness
  • improves flavor of vegetables
  • Fertilizer from rhubarb leaves can be made and used as a broth or as a brew

Benefits of rhubarb leaf fertilizer

There are many advantages why the leaves should not be thrown away after using the vegetables but should be further processed for fertilization in the garden:

  • Leaves contain a lot of potassium
  • very important nutrient
  • increases resistance to environmental influences as well as diseases and pests
  • improves water balance
  • especially important in dry times
  • Winter hardiness is also strengthened
Rhubarb leaves as fertilizer improves aroma - woman smells tomatoes

Note: If you use a fertilizer made from rhubarb leaves on vegetables, you will find that the smell intensifies and the aroma improves.

Make broth

If a broth is to be made from the rhubarb leaves, it can also be used against pests and fungi on the plants. The production is a little more labor-intensive than brewing:

  • 500 grams of fresh rhubarb leaves
  • chop well
  • three liters of water
  • bring to the boil together
  • then let it cool down
  • strain through cheesecloth
  • alternatively use a very fine sieve
  • use undiluted broth for spraying
  • mix with irrigation water for fertilization

Note: Nettle manure is also well suited for fertilization. However, this must always be freshly prepared as it does not take very long durable is. In addition, nettle manure also smells very unpleasant.

Make brew

If you want to make it easy for yourself, you can also quickly make a brew from the rhubarb leaves that can be used as a fertilizer.

Prepare the rhubarb stock
For the brew, simply put the fresh rhubarb leaves in a container and fill up with water.
  • 1 kg of fresh rhubarb leaves
  • alternatively 50 grams dried
  • one liter of cold water
  • just pour over
  • cover
  • Let stand for 24 hours
  • strain through sieve
  • mix with irrigation water

Rhubarb leaves on compost

Another way to produce a good fertilizer that also has a good mix of all the minerals and The material for the plants and beds in the garden is, the leaves with the other biological kitchen waste go directly to the compost give:

  • Slightly shred the leaves beforehand
  • so they can decompose faster
  • give the compost important potassium
  • can still be used in the next year

Note: Since rhubarb is a seasonal vegetable, the after June Should no longer be used, the broth or the brew can only be used seasonally. However, on the compost, the released potassium from the leaves is available all year round.

frequently asked Questions

Can rhubarb leaves only be used for fertilization?

No, rhubarb is much more versatile. You can also use the broth made from the leaves against aphids and other pests on the leaves of garden plants. Once prepared, you can use the broth in different areas of the garden. In addition, the leaves spread across the beds attract nudibranchs, which you can then easily collect in the evening.

Why can only the leaves but not the stems be used?

First, you want to use the rhubarb stalks in the kitchen, but the leaves are waste. If you want to use the broth not only for fertilization but also for pest control, then the leaves, which are inedible for us, are better suited for this. Because they contain more substances such as tannins, oxalic acid and anthraquinones that the aphids cannot tolerate.

How often can I fertilize my plants with the stock or the stock?

Since it is a natural fertilizer that can only be used seasonally, as the If the prepared broth does not keep for a long time, you can plant the plants every two to three weeks fertilize. In this way, they absorb enough potassium for the growing season and perennial plants can also strengthen themselves in this way for a winter.

Can I preserve the boiled broth?

If you briefly bring the boiled, drawn and cooled broth to the boil again after straining it, pour it hot into the small glasses of the bottles Fill the screw cap and then close it immediately, the broth should be stable for a few weeks and you with the ration of fertilizer until autumn get along. It is also often recommended to turn the jars upside down for a while after filling and closing so that everything stays tightly closed.

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