Minnesotans Can Use Rhubarb Leaves For Something Different

If you have a garden or are someone who has some landscaping on their property, dealing with weeds popping up can be irritating, so why not try a different type of weed barrier? I saw a social media post/question regarding using rhubarb leaves as a weed barrier, and it seems like it was a pretty good idea.

Jefferson S posted to the page: I’m either brilliant or possibly an idiot. I am using rhubarb leaves for weed control and moisture retention. Any thoughts on this

The post that I saw was on the Minnesota Gardeners Facebook page, and the post was accompanied by a photograph of a garden area covered by rhubarb leaves.

Reaction to the question was pretty positive, and several people have admitted to trying this method of weed barrier.

Some of the comments alluded to the leaves also being a deterrent to bugs, but there weren't many of those types of comments being made.

LearningandYearning.com states that "The leaves of rhubarb can grow quite large which makes it easy to just lay them down as mulch between plants. They do a nice job of temporarily blocking weeds. They do decompose quickly and will need to be replaced. And like composting them, it is perfectly safe to use them in the garden."

Backyardfarming.com recommends if you use rhubarb leaves as a weed barrier you layer them for best results. "Increase the effectiveness as a weed barrier by layering the rhubarb leaves and adding new ones as you harvest more stalks."

I do love that your using a part of the plant that would have gone unused, and giving it new life as future plant food rather than throwing it away.

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