Rhubarb

I think that technically Rhubarb is a fruit, but as it is more often than not grown in the permanent bed of an allotment or vegetable plot, I have decided to include it in this section.

Rhubarb needs an extremely rich soil, the more manure you can get into it the better. It also needs to be well drained with a pH of 7.0.

Rhubarb is planted as crowns and should be spaced about 3' apart. Plant the crowns in the winter while they are dormant, covering them with 1" of soil.

Once they are planted there is very little maintenance other than giving a good mulch of well-rotted manure when the leaves die down in the autumn.

Do not pick the stalks during the first year. This allows the plants to build up their strength. In subsequent years the stalks can be picked as required but do not strip the plant completely. It needs a couple of leaves to survive. Sometimes the plant tries to flower and sends up a thick central stem with a flower head on it. If this happens remove the stem.

As long as Rhubarb is fed well there are usually no problems but poorly kept plants can suffer from Aphids, Crown rot, Honey fungus and virus disease. (See relevant Pests or Diseases sections)

For more complete details on Rhubarb from it's chemical composition and poisons to cooking recipes check out the Website of http://www.rhubarbinfo.com

© copyright 1999, P. A. Owen