Rhubarb is one of my favorite spring garden plants.  It is a perennial that comes up each year like clockwork.  Those little shoots that begin poking out of the ground early in the season will be a wonderful addition to your spring meals.  It is easy to grow and it is so wonderful to see those plants bursting with fresh green leaves when nothing else is growing in your garden.  It gives you hope and anticipation for the garden to come.

This plant on it’s own is very tart.  When combined with sugar, honey, oranges, berries or some other sweet fruit it provides a wonderful sweet tart combination that perks up both desserts and savory foods.  Rhubarb pie, strawberry rhubarb muffins, rhubarb crunch cake, rhubarb sauce and jam are some of my favorite ways to use rhubarb.

How to Plant Rhubarb…

1. Choose a nice sunny spot that will not need to be disturbed.  Rhubarb plants can live for many years.  I have some in my garden that are over 25 years old.
2. Prepare the soil by turning it over and mixing in some compost or steer manure.
3. Plant the crowns or divisions about 1-2 inches below the soil level.  Water gently.  The plants can grow to at least 3 feet across.  Make sure to give each plant a little room to spread out if you are planting more than one plant.
4. Most gardeners recommend that you avoid using your rhubarb for the first year so that it can get well established.  In year 2 and 3 you can use a few stocks from each plant and by year 4 your plants should be producing about 10-20 stalks per plant for your cooking pleasure.
5. To harvest the stocks you will need to cut the stock at the base and be sure to remove and discard the leaves.  (Note:  Rhubarb leaves are mildly poisonous so be sure to keep away from young children)
6. Wash and chop up the rhubarb into small pieces.  Refrigerate for immediate use or you can simply bag and freeze it for use in the future.  No need to blanch the rhubarb like many frozen vegetables.

One large rhubarb plant should be able to supply enough of this delicious vegetable to make at least one or two pies a season as well as a cake or two.  If you want to have enough rhubarb to use all year long or to make sauce or jam then you will want to have 3 to 5 plants.  Growing rhubarb in your garden is so easy.  Plant once and it will come back year after year.  If you have never tried rhubarb you might want to buy a few stocks at the grocery store and find a nice recipe to try.  Once you add it into your meals you will wonder why you have never grown it before.