Growing Rhubarbs

GROW YOUR OWN RHUBARB

Rhubarb is a perennial garden vegetable, (it comes up without seeding year after year!), which is cultivated for its delicious,pink stems.it’s a vegetable and not a fruit. It is a brightly colored, highly flavored vegetable that is low in calories and high in vitamin C and calcium. It can be eaten in sweet or savory ways and as it’s easy to grow it deserves a place in any garden.

Planting And Growing

• Rhubarb enjoys a fertile, well drained soil in full sun, it hates wet feet. It won’t grow well in sandy soils unless plenty of organic matter is added. 
• Start digging over your soil four weeks before planting, removing any stones you find and adding as much organic matter as possible.
• Rhubarb can also be planted in very large pots at least 50cm (20in) deep and wide.
• Rhubarb is best grown from rhubarb crowns rather than growing from seed. Rhubarb should be planted in early spring and requires low temperatures (around 40 deg F) for it to break its winter dormancy and renew growth.
• Crowns should be planted about 10cm below the soil surface with the crown bud about 2 inches below the soil surface. Any young shoots that exist should just break the soil surface.
• Spacing of the crowns will depend on variety but around 60-80cm is right for many varieties such as the popular Victoria.
• You may want to thin your crowns every 4-5 years if they are getting overcrowded or you wish to use part of the crown to start another plant. 
• To do this carefully dig up the crown and then divide the crown into sections ensureing that you have at least one bud and two inched of root on each section. You can normally obtain about 4 to 8 new root sections from a crown. Rhubarb crowns should be split in early spring when new growth is just visible.
• The growing season of Rhubarb can be brought forward by covering the crowns with a cloche (a cut clear plastic bottle will do) in early spring.
• If flowering seed stalks develop then cut them as soon as possible. The seed and flower production will reduce the leaf stalk yield as the plant diverts energy into flower and seed production.
• Make sure to weed around your rhubarb plants regularly as weeds can have a damaging effect on plant growth. Do not hoe to deeply and disturb the roots.
• Adding fertilizer such as well rotted manure each year will increase your rhubarb yield significantly. Fertilise in early spring before plant growth and also before the end of autumn. As well as increasing available nutrients the fertiliser will act like a mulch and improve the water retention properties of the soil and also reduce weed growth.

Harvesting And Storage

• Allow rhubarb to establish for one year before taking your first harvest. Select three of the largest stalks, waiting for the leaves to fully open before pulling from May to August.
• Stalks are harvested by gently twisting the stems and pulling from the base of the plant. Leaves shouldn't be eaten as they contain oxalic acid and are poisonous.
• While freshly picked rhubarb is best used as soon as possible after harvesting, it can be kept in a polyethylene bag in the fridge for up to three weeks. 
• The stalks can be frozen or bottled for longer term storage once they have been prepared.

Few Health Benefits Of Rhubarb

• Lutein- Rhubarb is also a good source of lutein, a compound that has many health benefits. Including plenty of lutein in your diet is a healthy way to take care of your skin and eyes.
• Vitamin K- Another notable vitamin in rhubarb is vitamin K. Your diet should include sufficient amounts of vitamin K because this nutrient helps form blood clots when you are injured.
• Antioxidants- The compounds that give rhubarb a vibrant red color are powerful antioxidants that can promote good health and help prevent disease.
• Calcium- Your diet should include plenty of calcium because it is a nutrient essential for the health and strength of your bones and teeth. Having adequate stores of calcium will help prevent softening of the bones as well as bone and tooth loss. One cup of rhubarb supplies 105 mg of calcium, which is about 10 percent of the 1,000 mg of calcium average adults need in their daily diet.

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 stalks rhubarb, washed, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 6 strawberries, trimmed, cut in half
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

Directions

• Combine all ingredients in a large sauce pan or small stock pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes, or until the fruit has broken down. Use an immersion blender or food processor to puree the jam until it's smooth. 
• Transfer to two small glass jars that have been sterilized in boiling water. Let cool for 20-30 minutes to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours to allow the jam to thicken. 
• Keep refrigerated, and use within three weeks.