How to Grow And Harvest Rhubarb: All About Rhubarb

COPYRIGHT © 2011 Cherie Kuranko ~ "InkSpot"

All Rights Reserved.

Rhubarb (Rheum x coltorum) is a perennial vegetable that grows very well in cooler climates. It is simple to grow and harvest and can be used in a wide variety of delicious desserts and other recipes. Plant a few crowns of rhubarb in a permanent, sunny location in your garden and you will enjoy fresh rhubarb for many years to come.

Rhubarb dates back to 2700 BC in China where it was originally used for medicinal purposes only.  Rhubarb grows wild in the Tibetan Territory and the mountainous provinces of Western and North Western China. Today, rhubarb is grown throughout much of Europe and the cooler northern states and provinces of the United States and Canada.

Rhubarb needs temperatures 40 degrees Fahrenheit and lower to break its winter dormancy cycle and stimulate new spring growth. The hot summer temperatures of the southern US states are not ideal for growing rhubarb, which will wilt when subjected to high temperatures that average much above 75 degrees, but some southern growers manage to get a few spindly stalks each season if they water it regularly. Those living in zones 9 or higher do not have cold enough winters to trigger the spring growth of rhubarb.

Of all the vegetables rhubarb is a relatively easy plant to grow and has very few disease or pest issues. You will need to replenish the organic fertilizer a couple times a year, water regularly and keep the weeds pulled. Once planted, it will continue to produce fresh rhubarb each season for about 15 years or more. It doesn't require a lot of attention and is quite hardy, especially in cooler climates. Three to four plants is usually sufficient to supply a family with its annual bounty of rhubarb.

A permanent location should be selected for planting rhubarb where it won't be disturbed. Choose a location in full sun, though light shade is acceptable, with rich, well-drained soil. Rhubarb prefers to be planted in soil with a pH of 6.0-6.8, but it can grow in soils with a pH as low as 5.0.

You can plant using rhubarb seeds or rhubarb "divisions," which are crowns with at least one bud or growing point. Seeds may not produce plants like the parent plant the seed was saved from, which is why it is best to use rhubarb crowns.  You can obtain rhubarb crowns from mail order catalogs, local nurseries or from a friend's rhubarb patch.

Rhubarb should be planted in early spring. It is also the best time to dig up your rhubarb (after about 5 years or if the crown becomes crowded) and divide the crowns to share with friends or start new plants for yourself. So, if you have a friend with a mature crop of rhubarb ask if they will give or sell you a few to get started.

Clear the area of all weeds and grasses. Loosen the soil down to about 24 inches. Dig a hole about 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep. Backfill about 1 foot of the hole by adding well-aged organic manure or compost to the soil and mix well. Fertilizer high in phosphorus and potassium is a good choice.

Place the rhubarb crown and roots in the hole atop the organic fertilizer and soil mixture. Fill the remainder of the hole with the soil and fertilizer mixture, leaving the buds on the crown just below the surface. One to two inches is about right. Firm the soil around the crown and roots, but leave it slightly loose around the buds. Give it a little water after planting and continue to water weekly as needed.

You can provide a leaf or compost mulch later once the new shoots have started growing to help retain moisture and keep the rhubarb plant cool. Rhubarb plants should be planted 3-4 feet apart in rows. Some varieties, like Victoria, can grow 4 feet wide and just as tall. Give them plenty of space to grow.

The first few years you won't get to enjoy your own rhubarb as much as you like, but it is important to give the plant time to establish its root system before harvesting the stalks.

• Year One: Do not harvest the rhubarb stalks.
• Year Two: Harvest a couple stalks from each plant.
• Year Three and Beyond: Harvest stalks as they are ready. Harvest 3-4 stalks per plant at one time.

Rhubarb will grow from about early April through September in most locations. Be sure to remove all flowering seed stalks as you find them, unless you intend to save the rhubarb seeds. Removing the flowers helps the plant put more energy into producing stalks.

Harvest rhubarb when the stalks are firm. The first harvest usually begins in late May to early June and a second harvest in late August. It is best to snap off the stalk at soil level rather than cut them. Remove the leaves from the stalks as soon as possible, rinse clean and you may refrigerate the stalks in a sealed bag for about 2-3 weeks. Rhubarb may also be preserved through canning, freezing and drying.

IMPORTANT: Do NOT eat the roots or the leaves of any rhubarb plant. Do NOT feed them to livestock, poultry or pets either. The leaves and roots of rhubarb plants contain oxalic acid, which is poisonous. It is also important not to eat the stalks of rhubarb after a hard frost as the poison can migrate to the stalks. If stalks are mushy do not eat. After a hard frost, remove the stalks and toss them in the compost pile. Please tell your children to never eat or feed the leaves and roots to humans or pets as well.

Fertilize rhubarb twice a year; once in early spring just before the growth begins and once near the end of autumn. Avoid putting fertilizer directly on the crown or buds of the plant as it may cause rotting. Do not use fresh or hot manure and compost; only use well-aged fertilizers to avoid burning the plants.

There are many varieties of rhubarb to choose from. It comes in red, green, pink and speckled colors. The sweetness of the rhubarb is not determined by its color. The red varieties produce about fifty percent more stalks than the green varieties.

Other interesting rhubarb facts:

• High in Vitamin C
• High in Dietary Fiber
• Close Relative of Garden Sorrel
• Said to have been named after Rha, the ancient name for the Volga River where the plants grow along the banks.
• Medicinal Properties and Uses
• Great Companion Plant to Strawberry (in the garden and in desserts!)

Red Varieties of Rhubarb:

• Canadian Red, Chipman, Cherry Red, Crimson Red, Fraulein Sharfer Torte, Glaskin's Perpetual, Holstein Bloodred, Mammoth Red, Valentine and the ever popular Victoria, which may have red or green stalks.

Green Varieties of Rhubarb:

• Mammoth Green and Riverside Giant

Pink Varieties of Rhubarb:

• Strawberry and Sunrise

Speckled Varieties of Rhubarb:

• German Wine (Speckled on Green Stalk)

COPYRIGHT © 2011 Cherie Kuranko ~ "InkSpot"

All Rights Reserved.