Posted on 05/14/2022 4:44:23 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
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The Rhubarb – A Little History and Some Growing Instructions
Rhubarb is an herbaceous perennial, a member of the buckwheat family. The plant possesses an extraordinary tolerance for both cold and drought. It is hardy to Zone 3 and can be grown in colder climates if mulched. It can adapt to warmer climates where the plants simply die back in summer and resume growth in the fall. It probably originated in the desert region of Siberia around the Volga River Basin. The name, rhubarb, comes from Rha, the name Muscovites gave to the river Volga, and barbarum, a reference to the barbarous people that lived in the region.
Rhubarb is also known as “wild strawberry” and “pie plant”. In 1770, Benjamin Franklin who at the time was living in London shipped a crate of rhubarb to Philadelphia to his friend, John Bartram, the preeminent botanist of his time. It is generally agreed that 1770 was the year that rhubarb was introduced into the United States. It was not for another 60 years that the root gained popularity in the US. Some say this was because many folk associated the plant with “tincture of rhubarb” a strong laxative that grandmother might have forced on them.The present variety first appeared in American seed catalogues in 1828.
Rhubarb lasts at least 20 years, so choose a place in the garden where they can remain permanently. To grow rhubarb from roots, plant the roots as soon as the soil is workable. In southern climates, fall planting is also practicable. Dig a series of holes that are three feet apart from center to center. Dig the holes two feet deep and two feet across. Line each hole with 6-8 inches of well-rotted cow manure and then begin to fill the holes with a mixture of equal parts compost and soil.
Set the roots, one per hole, so that the tops of the roots lie 3-4 inches below the surface of the soil and finish filling the hole with the soil-compost mixture. Mound the dirt about 2-3 inches above the soil’s surface as the dirt will settle with time and watering. Do not harvest the stalks during the first year. In the fall, mulch with decomposed cow manure. In the spring, remove the mulch, and fertilize with a fertilizer high in nitrogen, then replace the mulch. During the second year, harvest lightly by grasping the base of a stalk and pulling sharply. Do not cut stalks as large clumps left by cutting encourage disease. Beginning in the third year, harvest only for about eight weeks.
Immediately after harvesting a stalk cut off the leaves. The stalks will retain their moisture much longer. To maximize the plant’s productivity, at least every five years, the roots need to be dug up and divided.
https://harvesting-history.com/the-rhubarb/
my onions and garlic looked great and I have a few potato plants just showing up....
but its still too cold here to do much of anything...in my little greenhouse, unheated, I have lovely tomato and pepper plants ready to go in but when is the question.
Morning all and thanks for the new thread. Heading to the garden now before it gets too hot. Will check back.
Setting tomato, eggplant and pepper plants that I started on the living room windowsills out on the porch for a few hours to harden off before they go in the garden tomorrow or the next day. Had to give up planting tomatoes in the garden due to losing them halfway thru the season to blight that is throughout the garden soil. This year I will just have two plants in the flower garden in 7 gal planting bags.
Those *&$#@+% mice dug tunnels through my asparagus bed and when I was watering it yesterday, I was getting sink holes in it. I now have to fill in with more dirt.
However, some asparagus survived. I have found spears from two plants at least. I expect more, too, but figure there will be a little loss.
I took the chance and planted my tomatoes. The forecast looks frost free for the next 10 days and I have found that getting them in this early gives you a wonderful crop.
My garlic is over a foot high already.
My potatoes are struggling.
All garden space(s) and resources are committed (more or less) for this year -
but I have filed this info away for the future - possible next year.
Thanks, Diana!
My long beans are coming in nicely. Cooked some of them in some fried rice this morning... Delicious
These little bad boys went into my fried rice as well:
Yum!
rhubarb is a plant that you can completely ignore and it’ll still come back every year.....mine is in a not too sunny area and is thriving like crazy.
"they" say that the soil temp needs to be around 50 for the tomatoes....so maybe I'll plant them and put some black pastic around them....too leggy tomato plants do not do well.
Good Morning!
My first house had Rhubarb in the yard. I didn’t know what to do with it, but I let it grow. That was 40 years ago. I wonder if it is still there! :-)
I’m heading out after this next cup of coffee. I’ve had most everything sitting out in pots day and night for almost a week waiting for the temps to get back down below the 90s and for the wind to get back down below 30mph gusts. Had the potted plants protected from the wind.
Had a nice little rain yesterday so hopefully it won’t be too wet. Might weed this morning and plant things this afternoon. Gave some mater plants to a neighbor and he got them in right before the rain yesterday.
Got one last seedling tray and all of that is going in the ground too. Then I can put away most of the seed starting stuff. Will probably keep one tray out for succession planting greens and leaf lettuce.
Fry Rubarb flowers for Turkish delight.
I never even checked my soil temp. It’s been so sunny and warm here for the last week, that I figured they’d be OK.
They are looking great as of now.
Today I’m planting a Serviceberry tree and the rest of my cabbage and radicchio, and putting up turkey wire tunnels over them to keep out the critters.
Kind of like 'permanent' and non-irradicable morning glory vines?
But hopefully not as obnoxious?
LOL
I got a couple tomato plants and several herbs planted earlier in the week. I’ve been working on getting my annuals in this week. We went from spring to summer in a week’s time, so I’m keeping an eye on the watering. I’ll be checking in and out today (and this week) also.
“Never touch another man’s rhubarb.”
The Joker
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