Rhubarb
November 11th, 2008
Everyone should grow rhubarb, its so easy! Rhubarb is a perennial and is one of the first crops to harvest. There are many varieties but the one we most commonly see and eat is the red-stalked rhubarb. As delicious are the green and speckled pink stalked rhubarbs.
Rhubarb, believed to originate from the river banks of Volga in Russia, is extremely nutritional, is cathartic and disturbingly so has been used as a laxative for over 5000 years. The leaves are toxic and so avoid these at all costs.
In warm climates (which ours certainly isn’t) rhubarb can be grown all year round. We however, have been forced to grow it under pots i.e. in darkness and in warmth. This encourages the shoots to search for light subsequently sprouting early. Only in a matter of weeks shoots are ready for harvest. Even rhubarb farmers in this country still have to hand pick it like it was back in the Victorian days.
Cultivating rhubarb is relatively easy. Pick a fertile free-draining site in partial shade. Before planting dig in well rotted manure (organic of course) and plant with the bottom of the plant just below the surface of the soil. Once established rhubarbs do not enjoy being disturbed. Anyway there is no need to do that, just eat it!
Check out www.rhubarb-recipes.com for 150 rhubarb recipes.