Brief description: Rhubarb is a cool season, perennial crop and typically grows between May – September. Once planted, rhubarb plants may remain productive for up to 10 -15 years.
Where to Plant {Vegetable}: Plant rhubarb in well drained soil that has been enriched with high organic matter {I use chicken fertilizer}. You should give each plant at least 1 yard of space {in all directions} to grow.
Planting Rhubarb Crowns: Cover the crowns with 2 inches of soil. If you plant rhubarb crowns too deep, it could delay production. Press the soil firmly around the roots and give it a drink.
How to Harvest: Rhubarb stalks should not be harvested the first year. For best results, only harvest a few stalks the second year and by the third year you can harvest as much as you need.
To harvest rhubarb, cut the stalk at the soil line. You can cut all stalks at one time, or harvest them as you need them. Once the rhubarb plant starts producing slender stalks, that is your cue that nutrient reserves for the plant are low and you need to stop harvesting.
My favorite Rhubarb Recipes:
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i prefer to blanch my rhubarb, it comes out sweeter and more tender. If you have a spare, tall, black garbage bin, just cover your plant with it shortly after it begins to sprout in the spring.
here’s what one of my favorite garden bloggers has to say about it:
http://malsallotment.blogspot.com/2011/04/rhubarb-rhubarb-forced-conversation.html
I was always told that when you harvest the stalks you need to actually pull them out not cut them because the part of the stalk left will rot or mold.
That’s right, you yank them out! My grandmother had huge plants and she would send us home with stalks after every visit.
Let’s remember that the leaves are poisonous!
My family never adds strawberries to our rhubarb pies! It ruins the rhubarb taste!
That’s a pretty pie, I like the crimped edges.
You can grow rhubarb from seed too.
I cannot wait to try your cinnamon rhubarb!!