Can I use rhubarb leaves safely in my compost heap? I am told they are toxic.

Hi Brian, rhubarb leaves contain oxalic acid and are not safe to eat, although the stems are when cooked. Oxalic acid does not survive outside plant cells and so rhubarb leaves can be safely added to the compost heap, breaking down naturally along with all of the other organic matter with no detrimental effect on soil microbes or the compost when later used on the garden. Lianne