Rhubarb - a gardeners favourite
Rhubarb is one of those old fashioned favourites that has not lost any of its flavour over the years, however it seems to be losing its place in modern gardens. Interestingly enough it is a plant that will grow in areas where other plants will not grow, under tree in odd corners, shady places etc.
Over the years observations of Rhubarb growing in various garden shows up a number of things.
1. There are several varieties which are often offered for sale
2. There are a number of old varieties which seem to have been lost in time. For example I have a seen a variety which produce its best crop in the winter time.
3. They love lots of heavy mulch.
4. Those grown in the sun have nice red stems and a lot more flavour.
Growing rhubarb is easy. Dig up a clump by digging deeply at finding the large fleshy underground roots and dig out as much as possible. Split them up using a spade into smaller plants. Take off most the leaves and replant in well composted soil with the crowns protruding from the soil. Add mulch. In no time at all the new stems will come up.
Do not use rhubarb in the first season let it settle down and are nicely and build up a new rootstock. If flower stems arise cut them off as these stems take a lot of goodness from the plant. Picking rhubarb is best done in late spring until Christmas. After Christmas let the plants grow well to build up energy in the root stock for the next cropping season. Harvest rhubarb by pulling the leafy stems sharply and then trimming off the leaves If you have too much cut it up into 3cm long sections and put a freezer bag for use later. Often people have a bag in the freezer and add a little more to the bag at each harvest. After harvesting mulch the ground heavily.
Note. The leaves are poisonous to humans. However they do make a very good natural insecticide.
Over the years observations of Rhubarb growing in various garden shows up a number of things.
1. There are several varieties which are often offered for sale
2. There are a number of old varieties which seem to have been lost in time. For example I have a seen a variety which produce its best crop in the winter time.
3. They love lots of heavy mulch.
4. Those grown in the sun have nice red stems and a lot more flavour.
Growing rhubarb is easy. Dig up a clump by digging deeply at finding the large fleshy underground roots and dig out as much as possible. Split them up using a spade into smaller plants. Take off most the leaves and replant in well composted soil with the crowns protruding from the soil. Add mulch. In no time at all the new stems will come up.
Do not use rhubarb in the first season let it settle down and are nicely and build up a new rootstock. If flower stems arise cut them off as these stems take a lot of goodness from the plant. Picking rhubarb is best done in late spring until Christmas. After Christmas let the plants grow well to build up energy in the root stock for the next cropping season. Harvest rhubarb by pulling the leafy stems sharply and then trimming off the leaves If you have too much cut it up into 3cm long sections and put a freezer bag for use later. Often people have a bag in the freezer and add a little more to the bag at each harvest. After harvesting mulch the ground heavily.
Note. The leaves are poisonous to humans. However they do make a very good natural insecticide.