Rhubarb in a School Garden

by Susie
(Exeter, Devon, UK)

Should I allow my school gardening club to grow rhubarb on their plot which is accessible to all the other children in the school?


ANSWER:

If you think that there is any chance that any of the children will eat or chew on the leaves, then I would not recommend it.

When I was growing up, every home garden had rhubarb plants, and I don't know of any children eating the leaves, or getting sick from them.

But, our parents taught us at an early age that rhubarb leaves were poison, and not to eat them.

So I think in a public garden, it might not be a good idea to grow rhubarb, just because you can't be there all the time to make sure that all the children understand that the rhubarb leaves are harmful if eaten.