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Garden Word of the Day
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Oxalic acid - you’ve heard the warnings, telling how rhubarb leaves and other plant parts that contain oxalic acid should not be eaten. But that’s not entirely accurate. Let’s learn the truth about oxalic acid in the garden
Oxalic acid in nature
Oxalic acid is found in a surprising number of food plants that we eat every day. The trick is in the concentration. In fact, oxalates can be toxic to plants, too, but plants bind those oxalates up in crystals that they then use as tiny spears to defend themselves against herbivores. These specialized cells are called idioblasts. Oxalic acid is formed when plants burn sugars and carbohydrates as fuel. Oxalates are also used to balance calcium levels within the plant by binding to calcium molecules. This is why some people say eating high levels of oxalic acid can interfere with healthy bones and teeth, but, again, you would have to eat an awful lot, over a long period of time, to cause any real problems. By the way, our bodies produce oxalic acid out of Vitamin C., on purpose. Also, cooking plants that contain oxalic acid has not been shown to reduce oxalate levels. Finally, armed with this information, I went out to my rhubarb plant and broke off a young leaf and ate it. The flavor was actually pretty nice, something akin to spinach, but lighter. And I lived to tell about it.
10 Comments
Keven John TURNBULL
1/24/2020 10:49:04 pm
No one seems to want to tell me, can you. How much oxalic acid can I put in my iron laden bore water before it becomes harmful to my vegie garden and will it build up to harmful levels over time.
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Kate Russell
1/26/2020 06:16:28 am
I'm afraid I don't have an answer for you either. If you haven't already, you may want to check with your local Master Gardeners, Water District officials, or Department of Agriculture.
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Keven John TURNBULL
1/26/2020 05:04:30 pm
Thanks Kate. I will do that. I have combed the internet trying to find out, but with little result. I would have thought with the problem of iron in bore water bin Australia that there would be something. If I find out I will send you th info.
Ronald Hamaty
4/8/2020 04:59:16 am
Can I use oxalic acid in my irrigation system without damaging plants? If yes, what concentration would be safe?
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Keven John TURNBULL
4/8/2020 06:46:03 pm
Ron, trying to get definitive advice from pro's is almost impossible. Here is my opinion. Certainly won't hurt pipes, 50 grams to a litre has not hurt anything in my garden. The only thing is that long term use may change the PH of your soil.
Kate Russell
1/27/2020 04:40:28 am
Please do, Keven.
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Ray Funter
2/17/2023 02:55:43 am
I have calcium oxalate kidney stones. Nephrologist told me gardening under or near oaks is a bad idea due to increased nuts from leaves and acorns from oaks. Would the application of an acidified lime solution lock up the oxalate or do nothing? Any other ideas so I can use my yard?
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Kate Russell
2/17/2023 08:44:20 am
Hi, Ray.
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Ray
2/17/2023 01:02:36 pm
Thanks for responding Kate. I too am a physician and earlier a biology major. I have tried Googling all this if course. The idea was that plants would absorb the oxalate (no clue if that's possible) from the soil. For the record calcium oxalate is already "locked up" in a strongly bound complex (as evident to anyone with the joy of holding one of their own kidney stones!). Many suggest if eating high oxalate foods to combine them with high calcium foods to cause this chemical (likely ionic) bond to occur in GI tract thus preventing oxalate in urine. Similarly others worry the "chemically measured reported" calcium in many foods is not really available because of the inevitable binding to oxalate. Yeah not a simple question and will look it up elsewhere and try your suggestions too. If anyone knows I think more than it would be of interest to many.
Kate Russell
2/22/2023 07:27:57 am
Thanks, Ray! I love a good mental challenge. Please let me know what you find out. You've got me curious!
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