- We now have eight rhubarb plants in the yard and are hoping for a good crop of rhubarb for pies, jams and crisps.
Click Rhubarb for a link to more information.
The two newest plants, seen below, (July 2014) are "Canada Red".
Of the other six plants, six of them are Strawberry Rhubarb (three clumped together), which is similar to the Canada Red. The sixth rhubarb is a greener, hardier, yet less sweet variety (perhaps a German Wine). - Rhubarb is a vegetable, but it is often cooked, sweetened and combined with other fruits as a dessert. It is an ancient plant traced back to China in 2700 BC. It was used for medicinal purposes as a laxative, to reduce fever and cleanse the body.
I have always cut the rhubarb stalks when harvesting but recently read that it is better to pull the stalks rather than cut them. The stalks detach easily and this way doesn't leave a stump to rot. The leaves are poisonous and should be discarded. It is best to pull the young tender stalks, leaving three or four strong stems.
