Rhubarb is a perennial plant grown for its leaf stalks. • Rhubarb grows best in regions where the ground freezes each winter. Winter chill results in rhubarb plants with thick stems and red color. Rhubarb is not productive in areas with very hot summers. • Rhubarb is commonly grown from root divisions called “crowns”, not…
Rhubarb
How to Harvest and Store Rhubarb
When to Harvest Rhubarb: Harvest rhubarb stalks when they are about as thick as your finger and at least 8 inches (20 cm) long. Stalks 12 to 18 inches (30-45 cm) long and longer will be most tasty. Mature stalk length varies by variety. Color also varieties by variety: cultivars such as Victoria and Linneaus…
Rhubarb Growing Quick Tips
Sowing seed and planting crowns (roots): Rhubarb is a perennial plant that can grow for 10 to 15 years or longer. Rhubarb can be grown from seed or crowns. If you grow rhubarb from seed, your first harvest will come in 3-4 years. If you grow rhubarb from crowns (established roots), the first harvest will…
Rhubarb Crumble
Rhubarb is among the first crops of the year–along with asparagus and radishes. Use rhubarb that is firm like celery, not limp. You may want to “string” the rhubarb stalks before cutting them. Just hold the end of a stalk between your thumb and a paring knife and pull the strings down the length of…
Rhubarb Planting Time
Plant rhubarb in late winter or early spring. Rhubarb is a perennial so choose a spot where it can grow and thrive for up to 10 years. Three or four root crowns will produce all of the rhubarb you can eat. Bare-root rhubarb rhizomes are most readily available for sale in nurseries in late winter…
How to Grow Rhubarb
Rhubarb is grown for its leaf stems (called petioles) which are thick and fleshy. The stems are colorful—cherry red to deep red and sometimes green–and tart. They are used in jams and pies—with plenty of sugar added—and are often matched with the sweetness of strawberries. Rhubarb is a perennial vegetable that requires a dedicated growing…
Rhubarb: Kitchen Basics
Rhubarb is sharp and pungent with a fresh spring taste. Fresh rhubarb sauce and pie season starts in early spring and runs nearly to the first day of summer. Often thought of as a fruit, rhubarb is a vegetable. In some regions rhubarb is so much thought of as a dessert fruit that it is…