BOTANICAL NAME: Rheum rhabarbarum
COMMON NAMES: Rhubarb
FAMILY: Polygonaceae, the knotweed family
PLANT DESCRIPTION
Rhubarb is a cool season herbaceous perennial; the best stem colour is produced at 10°C. A leafy plant, reaching a metre in height, with thick red stalks. It requires a cold winter and can be hard to grow in areas with very hot summers or high humidity.
USES
Only the rhubarb stalks should be eaten and they must be cooked. Rhubarb is rich in iron, and vitamins A and C. It is used as a 'fruit', and can be baked in pies and crumbles, it combines well with apples and ginger. Rhubarb leaves are poisonous and should never be eaten or fed to livestock or poultry.
PLANTING DETAILS
Rhubarb can be grown from crowns or seed. Plant in an open, sunny position. Leave undisturbed for 4-5 years and then divide the plants. Rhubarb requires a deep, well-drained soil, enriched with well-rotted animal manure. Water well in dry spells and mulch the plants annually each spring with compost. Feed with a liquid manure to encourage stem formation. Cut out any flower stems that develop and pick stems very lightly in the first year. The best planting time for crowns is May to October. Plant the crowns just under the surface, 90 x 90 cm apart. Seed requires a germination temperature of 20 - 23°C.
HARVEST
Harvest by pulling the thickest, healthiest stalks off gently, do not cut them and leave a stub. Do not take more than half the stalks of any one plant.
RHUBARB INSECTICIDE SPRAY
Cut up 1 kg of rhubarb leaves, boil in 3 litres of water for 30 minutes. Strain through a cloth or old stocking. When cool, dissolve 30 grams of soap flakes in 1 litre of hot water. Add this to the mixture. Use as a general botanical insecticide spray against aphids, whitefly and caterpillars.
