Anyone who uses rhubarb in the kitchen wonders whether the unused leaves could still be used in the garden. It can make sense to fertilize the other plants in the bed or pot with the rhubarb leaves.

In a nutshell

  • Rhubarb leaves contain a lot of 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 vegetable but should be processed further for the garden to fertilize:

  • Leaves contain a lot of potassium
  • very important nutrient
  • Increases resistance to environmental influences as well as diseases and pests
  • improves water balance
  • particularly important in dry seasons
  • Winter hardiness is also strengthened

Notice: If you use a rhubarb leaf fertilizer on vegetable plants, you will find that the smell intensifies and the aroma improves.

make broth

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

  • 500 grams of fresh rhubarb leaves
  • chop well
  • three liters of water
  • 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 to fertilize

Notice: Nettle manure is also well suited for fertilization. However, this must always be freshly prepared, as it does not last very long. Nettle manure also smells very unpleasant.

make broth

If you want to make it easy for yourself, you can quickly make a brew from the rhubarb leaves, which is good to use as fertilizer.

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

Rhubarb leaves on compost

Another way to produce a good fertilizer that also has a good mixing ratio of all the minerals and substances needed for the plants and beds in the garden is to add the leaves directly to the compost with the other organic kitchen waste:

  • Lightly chop the leaves beforehand
  • so they can decompose faster
  • give the compost important potassium
  • can still be used next year

Notice: Since rhubarb is a seasonal vegetable that should not be used after June, the broth or brew can only be used seasonally. However, the potassium released from the leaves is available on the compost all year round.

frequently asked Questions

Can rhubarb leaves only be used as fertilizer?

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. So, once made, you can use the broth in different areas of the garden. In addition, the leaves on the beds attract slugs, which you can easily collect in the evening.

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

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 fertilizing 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, which the aphids cannot tolerate.

How often can I fertilize my plants with the broth or brew?

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

Can I preserve the cooked broth?

If you briefly boil the boiled, steeped and cooled broth again after straining, fill it hot into small jars in the bottles with screw caps and then close them immediately, the broth should keep for a few weeks and you should be able to get by with the ration of fertilizer until autumn. It is also often recommended to turn the jars upside down for a while after they have been filled and closed, so that everything stays tightly closed.

Category:

Vegetable garden