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Robust Rhubarb

It’s known as a vegetable, produces stalks that are considered a fruit, and it has been known for centuries as a medicinal herb – the interesting rhubarb has it all.

That said, it’s not a very popular edible to grow in South Africa, and the leaves are poisonous to cats, dogs, horses and humans. So why do we grow it?

5 reasons to grow rhubarb

  1. The stalks have some great uses in the kitchen. Its tart flavour adds another dimension to tarts and crumbles, it’s a great topping for oats and yoghurts, and it can also be made into jams, cordials, cocktails and even wine.
  2. It’s easy to grow, and the pink stems and bold green leaves add variety and texture to the veggie garden.
  3. It’s a perennial that lasts up to 20 years in the garden, so once you have it you can harvest for many years to come.
  4. It’s rich in antioxidants, which have anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s high in fibre, Vitamin K and is low in calories.
  5. Once established, it needs very little attention.

Growing

Choose a space for rhubarb, which will be permanent for as long as you want it there, and with lots of space around it to spread and grow – it has a growth height and spread of around 80 x 80cm. Find a sunny or partially shaded position. You can grow rhubarb from seed and there are online seeds available (look out for ‘Victoria’), but it is best to grow from crowns that are harvested from dividing a growing plant. Ask your friends to share with you.

To divide rhubarb, use a garden fork and dig up the crown. Divide this into sections with 1 – 3 buds on each, using a clean sharp knife. Plant in fertile soil with added compost and organic fertiliser, and make sure the drainage is good enough. Cover with mulch and water regularly during dry periods and for the first couple of years. After that it’s pretty drought tolerant. Because you are looking for good stems, cut the flowers off as they appear, to direct the plant’s resources to the rest of the plant.

The plants don’t need much attention once established, but for optimum results keep the soil healthy by adding a mulch of compost and feed with a liquid fertiliser in spring. Although rhubarb can be grown in containers, it does better in the ground.

Harvesting

To make sure you have strong plants that recover quickly from cutting, only harvest your first crop in the second year. When the stems are around 20 – 40cm long, they can be harvested by gently twisting the stems off at the base. Don’t worry about the colour of the stems: they can range from bright red to green, depending on the variety. Once harvested, cut the leaves from the stems and send them to the compost heap.

NB: Don’t eat the leaves as they contain high levels of oxalic acid that may damage your kidneys if eaten in excess. The leaves can also be boiled in stainless-steel pots to give the pots an extra shine (make sure to rinse properly after boiling), or boiled up to make an organic pesticide to use on non-edible plants.

Cooking

The stems are known for their sour flavour and therefore not often eaten raw. The stems are traditionally cut up into chunks and stewed for use in pies and tarts with custard, and they’re usually cooked with sugar. They can be baked, poached, puréed or combined with other fruits or flavours such as vanilla, ginger, orange or star anise. To preserve for later, cut into chunks and freeze raw, or cook and freeze.

Kathy Varney’s tips for growing rhubarb

Kathy Varney, Marketing and Product Manager for Ball Straathof, knows a thing or two about plants and growing your own. Here are some of her ideas on rhubarb to help you get started.

Plant a Pie

One of my fondest memories of my time living in the UK is rhubarb crumble! A summer staple, the sweet and sour dessert was so delicious and summery, it helped you forget that it was probably raining most of the time! Rhubarb is actually incredibly tart, so its bright and beautiful stems are usually baked into a pie with tons of sugar. Whatever you do, though, make sure you do not eat the poisonous leaves and keep them away from pets as well as other humans!

Rhubarb wants to be planted in well-drained, deep, fertile soil. It produces best when planted in full sun, but it can tolerate some shade. Keep the soil moist, but not soggy. Since it is a perennial, you will need to practice patience with your rhubarb. Sow the seeds in spring and nurture these babies through the winter – the cold temperatures help them grow. Most people advise waiting till the second or third year to harvest the stalks.

When they are about 20 – 30cm long, you can pick some, but make sure you leave some stalks on the plant so you don’t stress it out too much. It’s also best to let some leaves remain on the plant during summer to help generate energy for the next years growth. Make sure your plants have enough water and some fertiliser, and divide them every few years and you will be sharing bundles of rhubarb with all the neighbours for years to come.

Look for Kirchhoffs rhubarb ‘Victoria’ seed at your local retailer. www.kirchhoffs.co.za

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The Gardener