Rhubarb

**Durgan** · 04-28-2009, 07:55 PM

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?Rhubarb 28 April 2009 Rhubarb
Rhubarb is amongst the first edible plants to start growing in the Spring. Chives is slightly sooner. The stalks are pulled when a suitable length and diameter about 1.5 cm is reached. The stalks are harvested to about the 20th of June, then the plant is allowed to accumulate food for next year's growth.

**pat in east texas** · 04-29-2009, 07:00 AM

Does rhubarb need a long winter? I haven't seen any around here to plant.

**Durgan** · 04-29-2009, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by pat in east texas

Does rhubarb need a long winter? I haven't seen any around here to plant.

PLANT TYPE: Perennial
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Rheum rhabarbarum
ZONE / HARDINESS: Hardy to all zones
MATURE PLANT SIZE: 24 to 48 inches high x 36 to 72 inches wide
LIGHT: Full Sun to partial shade
SOIL TYPE: All soils but best in fertile, well-drained soil
pH RANGE: 6.3 to 7.0
KNOWN PESTS: Seldom effected
KNOWN DISEASES: Seldom effected

Plants are often sold in pots ready to plant in the early Spring. Two or three plants produce a large quantity of stalks.

**pop goes the weasel** · 04-29-2009, 09:08 AM

Do you pull it or cut it? Mine is about 6 inches high now

**mauimagic** · 04-29-2009, 11:46 AM

Mahalo for the reminder - want to check out recipes and look into a pot or two for growing.

**Durgan** · 04-29-2009, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by pop goes the weasel

Do you pull it or cut it? Mine is about 6 inches high now

Seize the stem near the soil surface and gently pull free. This is the preferred method. Six inches may be a bit short. I judge by the diameter of the stalk, if about thumb size and the length is reasonable I pull. A bit of trial and error. Never pull more than about 60% at any one time.

Stalks can be cut, but this method seems silly to me, since a raw wound is left, and it is sometimes difficult to get a knife into position to operate.

**Durgan** · 05-03-2009, 11:27 AM

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?RhubarbC 3 May 2009 First Rhubarb
A few of the larger stalks were pulled, and this makes a bowl full of cooked rhubarb.Rhubarb stalks are almost all water, so it takes a fair number of stalks to make any quantity of sauce.

**Sara Noel** · 05-03-2009, 11:54 AM

Thank you for sharing. I have fond memories of my mom growing rhubarb. She made pie with it. I haven't grown it myself.

**ConnieD** · 05-03-2009, 03:52 PM

My rhubarb is growing wonderfully and I can't wait to make some rhubarb custard pies...........YUMMY!!!

**pop goes the weasel** · 05-03-2009, 04:50 PM

Me too. I love rhubarb custard and rhubarb sauce. My patch isn't that big yet but enough to make at least a pie. My dh wants a strawberry rhubarb pie. Yich I don't like strawberries. lol Have you ever had rhubarb sauce on warm home made bread or biscuits. Now I'm hungry

**Incognito** · 05-03-2009, 08:33 PM

I have 4 red-rhubarb clumps, growing for years beneath a spruce tree, and doing just fine.
I make pie, jam, sauce and upside-down cake with it.
For 5 years I made rhubarb pies (among others) ,for the Farmer's Market, and the rhubarb pies were usually sold out first.
It's great to have a plant that gives so much in return for so little.

**Sara Noel** · 05-04-2009, 02:56 PM

Durgan, have you ever made insecticide with the leaves? I read you can boil them and add soap flakes and use it as a spray insecticide because the leaves are poisonous. Thing is, doesn't soap/water alone work as an insecticide, too? Also I was wondering how dangerous that might be since it's deathly to humans, too.

**Durgan** · 05-04-2009, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by Sara Noel

Durgan, have you ever made insecticide with the leaves? I read you can boil them and add soap flakes and use it as a spray insecticide because the leaves are poisonous. Thing is, doesn't soap/water alone work as an insecticide, too? Also I was wondering how dangerous that might be since it's deathly to humans, too.

Interesting, probably worth a try. I intend to utilize soap extensively this year, since I have a good pressurized spray can, and the 'cides are mostly banned by law in Ontario now.

**Durgan** · 05-12-2009, 05:35 PM

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?RhubarbI 12 May 2009 Rhubarb
A few of the largest stalks were pulled. The leaves will be used to make an insecticide on a trial basis. Here is the method. Boil 500 grams of rhubarb leaves in a few pints of water for about 20 minutes, allow to cool, then strain the liquid into a suitable container. Add some dish detergent and spray on leaves to kill off all kinds of bugs like aphids and spider mites.

NOTE: Rhubarb leaves contain high amounts of oxalic acid. If ingested, your heart will stop and you will die.