Mountain Gardener by Betty Hensley
As Times Get Tough, The Tough Go Gardening
More and more people are turning their back yards into their very own editable gardens. Self-sufficient gardening is so rewarding, and you don’t have to know a whole lot, or have much experience to be successful at it. One of the nice things about vegetable gardening is that the plants are usually very forgiving. With a few fussy exceptions, vegetable plants will burst forth, grow, and yield at least something of a harvest, even when a gardener just barely and intermittently meet their needs.
Year in and year out, we all grow the favorite plants, such as tomatoes, carrots, squash, spinach and beets, but trying something different makes gardening that much more exciting. How about Rhubarb? I am sure you have heard of delicious rhubarb pie, and strawberry-rhubarb jam; so can you think of a better reason to try growing a patch of rhubarb in your own garden? Usually exiled to the edge of the garden, this perennial can go just about anywhere. Once it finds a happy place, however, it doesn’t like to leave, so plan carefully.
THE SITE
Rhubarb likes rich, slightly acid, fertile soil with lots of organic matter. You can purchase either root divisions or container-grown plants. Select a site in the sun or light shade, and plant in the early spring, a few weeks before the last frost. (Yes, I know that I am a bit late for this year, but I have rhubarb in my garden and I wanted to learn more about it-thus the article) Plant divisions 18-24 inches apart with the buds about 2 inches below the surface.
GROWING
Water well after planting and keep the soil moist throughout the growing season. Snip off any flower shoots as they appear. Once established, rhubarb plants grow rapidly. To rejuvenate the plants, divide them in the fall by slicing the crown with a sharp shovel. Dig up and remove one portion of the plant, fill the hole with soil, and replant. Remember to maintain a soil pH of 5.5-6.5
HARVESTING
Avoid harvesting the first year after planting. and take only a few stems the second year. From the third year on, you can harvest just about all you want. Rhubarb is the most flavorful in the cool spring. To harvest rhubarb, grasp the stem near the base and pull up, giving the stem a twist as you pull. You can also cut the stem from the plant with a sharp knife. Trim away the base of the stem and the leaves.
HAPPY HARVESTING
It won’t be long before you are sharing your delicious rhubarb pies and jams with all of your neighbors. By the way, while you are sharing, don’t forget the Sierra Mountain Times team! Gardening advice is free for the asking by calling the University of California-Cooperative Extension at 209-533-5696 or emailing me at bettyhensley@mlode.com.
