I was watching the TV earlier tonight and an 'allotmenteer' said she doesn't
compost rhubarb leaves because they are too acid.

I have always composted ours.

Any comments please?

"Keith (Dorset)" wrote in message
...
:I was watching the TV earlier tonight and an 'allotmenteer' said she
doesn't
: compost rhubarb leaves because they are too acid.
:
: I have always composted ours.
:
: Any comments please?
:
I always compost ours, that's an old tale that gains momentum every so often

"Robert (Plymouth)" wrote in message
...

"Keith (Dorset)" wrote in message
...
:I was watching the TV earlier tonight and an 'allotmenteer' said she
doesn't
: compost rhubarb leaves because they are too acid.
:
: I have always composted ours.
:
: Any comments please?
:
I always compost ours, that's an old tale that gains momentum every so
often



We compost ours too. No probs :-))

Mike


--
.................................................. ..............
The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association if you served in the Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy
www.rneba.org.uk

On Sun, 15 Apr 2007 00:53:28 +0100, "Keith \(Dorset\)"
wrote:

I was watching the TV earlier tonight and an 'allotmenteer' said she doesn't
compost rhubarb leaves because they are too acid.

I have always composted ours.

Any comments please?


If you have a huge pile of them and nothing else, they would produce
compost too acid to apply to acid-hating plants. But mixed with other
ingredients there will not be a problem. The key to good compost is
always to use a variety of different ingredients.

"Keith (Dorset)" wrote in message
...
I was watching the TV earlier tonight and an 'allotmenteer' said she
doesn't compost rhubarb leaves because they are too acid.

I have always composted ours.

I don't think I have ever had any trouble composting mine!

Alan

"Keith (Dorset)" wrote in message
...
I was watching the TV earlier tonight and an 'allotmenteer' said she
doesn't compost rhubarb leaves because they are too acid.

I have always composted ours.

Any comments please?

"Keith (Dorset)" wrote in message
...
I was watching the TV earlier tonight and an 'allotmenteer' said she
doesn't compost rhubarb leaves because they are too acid.

I have always composted ours.

As an aside, one should NEVER eat the leaves.

During WW11 it was reported that some people had tried, as there was a
shortage of some food.

Alan

wrote in message
...
: On Sun, 15 Apr 2007 00:53:28 +0100, "Keith \(Dorset\)"
: wrote:
:
: I was watching the TV earlier tonight and an 'allotmenteer' said she
doesn't
: compost rhubarb leaves because they are too acid.
:
: I have always composted ours.
:
: Any comments please?
:
:
: If you have a huge pile of them and nothing else, they would produce
: compost too acid to apply to acid-hating plants. But mixed with other
: ingredients there will not be a problem. The key to good compost is
: always to use a variety of different ingredients.

I don't think that's right, it doesn't necessarily make acid compost

On Sun, 15 Apr 2007 14:36:01 +0100, "Robert \(Plymouth\)"
wrote:


wrote in message
.. .
: On Sun, 15 Apr 2007 00:53:28 +0100, "Keith \(Dorset\)"
: wrote:
:
: I was watching the TV earlier tonight and an 'allotmenteer' said she
doesn't
: compost rhubarb leaves because they are too acid.
:
: I have always composted ours.
:
: Any comments please?
:
:
: If you have a huge pile of them and nothing else, they would produce
: compost too acid to apply to acid-hating plants. But mixed with other
: ingredients there will not be a problem. The key to good compost is
: always to use a variety of different ingredients.

I don't think that's right, it doesn't necessarily make acid compost


Where does all the oxalic acid from the leaves go then? If it's well
mixed and diluted with other material it will break down, but a pile
of rhubarb only will stay acid for a considerable time.
I do agree that the warning on the TV programme was over-emphasised.

On 15 Apr, 14:36, "Robert \(Plymouth\)" beachcom...@ultimate-
anonymity.com wrote:
: I was watching the TV earlier tonight and an 'allotmenteer' said she
doesn't
: compost rhubarb leaves because they are too acid.
: I have always composted ours.
: Any comments please?

: If you have a huge pile of them and nothing else, they would produce
: compost too acid to apply to acid-hating plants. But mixed with other
: ingredients there will not be a problem. The key to good compost is
: always to use a variety of different ingredients.

I don't think that's right, it doesn't necessarily make acid compost

Hmmm... yes and no I would say. I think there's a confusion with the
oxalate acid that the rhubarb produces (as well as spinach, beets,
strawberries, wheat bran, nuts ...). Once fully decomposed the leaves
loose their oxalate and therefore are ok. I'd agree that compost made
of a single pile of stuff wouldn't be a good idea, (beside leaves or
mushrooms), but I've always composted our rhubarb leaves and I've
never had any problem, though I mix a variety of stuff with it.

writes

Where does all the oxalic acid from the leaves go then? If it's well
mixed and diluted with other material it will break down, but a pile
of rhubarb only will stay acid for a considerable time.
I do agree that the warning on the TV programme was over-emphasised.

The theory in the body is that it reacts with calcium to form calcium
oxalate. So presumably it will react fairly easily with any slightly
alkaline part of the surrounding soil.

By the time it's broken down enough to be used as compost, I'd be
surprised if it was noticeably acid.
--
Kay

Thanks everyone, for the reassurance. My compost has 'seemed' to be not far
from perfect for a while now.

I am not trying to be clever, but since I have used wooden box frames, kept
a wide mixture of ingredients, placed old glazed windows over the tops to
enable the compost to warm... and added a little nitrogen, (in one form or
another).

Kept aerated by turning every month or so, it comes out great after not many
months at all.

Keith



"Keith (Dorset)" wrote in message
...
I was watching the TV earlier tonight and an 'allotmenteer' said she
doesn't compost rhubarb leaves because they are too acid.

I have always composted ours.

Any comments please?

On Sun, 15 Apr 2007 18:09:16 +0100, K wrote:

writes

Where does all the oxalic acid from the leaves go then? If it's well
mixed and diluted with other material it will break down, but a pile
of rhubarb only will stay acid for a considerable time.
I do agree that the warning on the TV programme was over-emphasised.

The theory in the body is that it reacts with calcium to form calcium
oxalate. So presumably it will react fairly easily with any slightly
alkaline part of the surrounding soil.

By the time it's broken down enough to be used as compost, I'd be
surprised if it was noticeably acid.

Certainly! Mixed with other ingredients to get sufficient calcium it
would be harmless.

wrote in message
news
On Sun, 15 Apr 2007 14:36:01 +0100, "Robert \(Plymouth\)"
wrote:


wrote in message
. ..
: On Sun, 15 Apr 2007 00:53:28 +0100, "Keith \(Dorset\)"
: wrote:
:
: I was watching the TV earlier tonight and an 'allotmenteer' said she
doesn't
: compost rhubarb leaves because they are too acid.
:
: I have always composted ours.
:
: Any comments please?
:
:
: If you have a huge pile of them and nothing else, they would produce
: compost too acid to apply to acid-hating plants. But mixed with other
: ingredients there will not be a problem. The key to good compost is
: always to use a variety of different ingredients.

I don't think that's right, it doesn't necessarily make acid compost


Where does all the oxalic acid from the leaves go then?

The oxalate is decomposed by microorganisms
http://www.geocities.com/oxalate2000/index.html