Vegetable garden question for newbie gardender

[Jenn]

My Mom planted tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers and they are growing nicely. This is her first gardening attempt - so when someone told her to "mulch", she used red hemlock bark mulch on the soil instead of hay/straw. Now someone is telling her those vegetables should not be eaten because of the chemicals in the hemlock mulch. Any clue if this is true - I have absolutely no idea - my veggies come from the farm stand or the grocery strore.

 

[gina2000]

I honestly don't know, Jenn. Hemlock is a poison, though, so it may, in fact, be true.

I'll take a gander around and see what I can come up with.

 

[Snowwark]

Hi Jenn, welcome to the Garden!

As far as I understand, it's the plant Poison Hemlock , that is poisonous, not the Hemlock tree, from which the mulch is made.

Here is some more info for you. Botany.com

I hope this helps ease your mind. Tell your Mom to enjoy her produce!

 

[wbk]

I would pose the question to your local ag extension office.