Oleanders Among Vegetable Plants?

Oleander plants in the garden

Walking with a neighbor one morning we noticed that someone in our neighborhood had a nice looking little vegetable bed planted along their fence line. We also noticed that they had planted the vegetables between some mature oleander bushes. Considering that oleanders are known to be poisonous, this just seemed dangerous to us and we were wondering what an expert might think.

Karen G.

Answer: Well, the good news is that while all parts of the plant are poisonous, it does not affect the soil or other plants around it. Surprisingly there are quite a few garden plants that can be considered poisonous, some very common, and some are grown for a part that is consumed. For instance, tomatoes leaves, vines and sprouts are considered toxic, as are green, unripe potatoes. So are quite a few ornamental plants and common houseplants.

Best word of caution: if you have vegetables near toxic plants, be sure to thoroughly wash all produce before consuming. Also thoroughly wash your hands and arms after working with any plant considered poisonous. If you happen to ingest some of the plant, call the poison control center nearest you. If your pet has been chewing on the plant, call your veterinarian immediately, as they are just as toxic to dogs and cats.

Happy gardening,

Karen

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    September 23, 2011 at 7:24 pm

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