Pokeweed as mulch

There are two things I have an abundance of here: Weeds and pokeweed (some would argue that those are the same thing).

My thought is to go around and gather up pokeweed from the fence lines and such, and then place them in my veggie garden to smother out the weeds and keep the soil moist. Basically I'm wondering if I can use pokeweek leaves and stalks as a mulch product.

Pokeweed, as you know, is poisonous. Will I transfer this poison to my other plants by using them as a mulch?

Thanks,
Dave

I have eaten lots of poke berry jelly.....still alive:)

I would use the plants for a mulch myself.

Owen

My aunt boils it and eats it with eggs. i guess you have to cook it just right? here in Wisconsin people think turnip greens are poisionous to and don't eat them but i was raised on them in Texas :)

this is taken from the
Kitchen And Herb Gardener
ISBN 0-7548-0527-1

Phytolacca americana
pokeweed

History and Traditions: A poisonous plant, onse used by Native Americans as a purgative and powerful treatment for various complaints. They knew it as "pocan", which is where the name pokeweed comes from. It was adopted by European settlers as a treatment for venereal diseas, and for its painkilling and antiinflammatory properties. In modern times, its complex chemical structure has attracted much scientific intrest. It contains compounds that affect cell division and it is currently being investigated as a potential source of drugs to combact AIDS-related dieases and cancers

Description: A large, frost-hardy perennial, 90cm-1.5 m(3-5 ft) tall, with smooth, hollow, purplish stems and ovate to lanceolate leaves. it has racemes of white, sometimes-pink tinged flowers in late summer, followed by large drooping spikes of purple-black berries, which provide a dye to colour ink.

Habitat/distribution: A north american native, it has been introduced elsewhere and widely grown in the Mediterranean reagon of Europe. Occurs in rich soils at field edges
groth: grown in rich, moist soil. Propagated by seed sown in spring or autum or by division
Part used: Roots and fruits (berries)- collected in the autumn and dried for use in decoctions, tinctures and other medicinal preparations.

Uses Medicinal: Pokeweed has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal properties and is destructive to many parasitic diseases-causing organisms. It is also capable of stimulating the immune and lymphatic systems. used for many disorders, including autoimmune diseases, skin diseasses, bronchhhhitiiis aand arthritis, but for qualified practioners only. Despite its toxicity, the leaves of this plant are sometimes boiled as a vegetable, the water being discarded.


*************************************
* Caution: the whole plant is toxic
* if eaten, especially the roots
* and berries.
*************************************

My family was from Iowa and never did learn to trust the pokeweed plant. Then I married a man whose Missouri born and raised family had eaten the leaves for years. I learned to cook the tender young leaves with onion, bacon pieces,(we use very lean ham or bacos now), liquid smoke, and other greens or spinach added,
I have heard many stories of farmers losing hogs who ate the poision roots. Death was quick. I have also heard of making jelly from the berries, but have never found a recipe that didn't make the kitchen smell so bad that I tossed the whole mess out.

Oh now that's funny......I have neighbors on both sides of me that are growing this in their front beds as speciment plants.............to me it's a weed pure and simple!!

"eyes"