Rhubarb is a perennial vegetable, though it is generally used as a fruit in desserts and jams. Here’s how to plant, grow, and harvest your own rhubarb.
Of the rhubarb plant, only the stalks are eaten. These have a rich, tart flavor. The leaves of the rhubarb plant are poisonous, so be sure that they are not ingested. Rhubarb is easy to grow, but needs cool weather to thrive.
Only the stalks of the rhubarb plant are eaten because the large, triangular leaves are poisonous. They contain a higher concentration of oxalic acid than foods like spinach, broccoli, and cauliflower (which have perfectly safe levels). It’s also thought that rhubarb leaves may contain a more potent unidentified toxin. While you’d likely have to eat a large amount of the leaves for it to be lethal, even small amounts can cause nausea and vomiting. To be safe, do not eat or serve the leaves and keep them out of reach of children and pets. Once the leaves are removed, the rhubarb just needs to be cut and trimmed to your needs.
A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of cooked rhubarb with added sugar contains (3Trusted Source):
- Calories: 116
- Carbs: 31.2 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Protein: 0.4 grams
- Vitamin K1: 26% of the DV
- Calcium: 15% of the DV
- Vitamin C: 6% of the DV
- Potassium: 3% of the DV
- Folate: 1% of the DV
How to grow at home?
Although new rhubarb plantings will take 2 to 3 years to become established enough for a first harvest, it is well worth the wait. Rhubarb is also one of the very first appearances in spring, a welcome sight after the long winter doldrums.
Light Requirements – Plant rhubarb seeds or crowns in a spot that receives six to eight hours of sunlight per day. If you reside where summers are quite warm, choose a site that provides shade in the afternoon.
Soil – Rhubarb are heavy feeders so enrich your garden soil with amendments high in organic matter like compost. Rhubarb prefers a balanced pH of 6 to 7.
Transplanting – Plant rhubarb as soon as the ground can be worked in spring. You may also plant them in late fall after they have become dormant. Space plants 4 feet apart and inch or two below the soil line.
Watering – Rhubarb plants need plenty of moisture so water well and often throughout the season. Mulch around each plant with straw to help retain moisture.
Fertilizer – Rhubarb doesn’t need to be fertilized during its first year of growth. In subsequent seasons, enrich soil with organic matter and apply a high nitrogen fertilizer, such as alfalfa, in early spring.
Companion Plants – Rhubarb grows well alongside strawberries, asparagus, and horseradish. Companion planting can really help fulfill your gardens potential by pairing plants that benefit each other mutually.
Forcing Rhubarb – For sweeter, more tender rhubarb stalks, rhubarb forcing is a technique that limits photosynthesis to encourage quick growth that results in paler petioles. To force rhubarb that has been established for at least three years, simply cover plants with a bucket or terra cotta pot, covering up any holes or light leaks. Rhubarb stalks should be ready to harvest in about eight weeks. Do not force the same rhubarb plant two years in a row; alternate forcing between plants and allow them to grow naturally the following year.
How to harvest?
As your rhubarb plants grow, remove seed stalks as they appear. Do not harvest rhubarb for its first year so its roots become well established. Once stems are at least 12 inches in length, snip stalks at the base of the plant and discard the leaves. Leave at least two stalks on each plant to keep it productive.
How to Storage?
Rhubarb is super easy to preserve for later use. Cut stalks into 1 inch pieces and store in a container in the freezer, no blanching needed.