Everyone is eager to enjoy the taste of a freshly harvested fruit or vegetable once the cold winter begins to fade into memory. Rhubarb often is the vegetable that has the honor of being the first harvested of the season.
The earliest records of rhubarb date back to 2700 B.C. in China where it was cultivated for medicinal purposes. There is a record of rhubarb planting in Italy in 1608, according to http://www.rhubarbinfo.com. . A record from 1788 shows rhubarb was used as a food plant in Europe. The earliest uses of rhubarb as a food was as a filling in tarts and pies. Early records of rhubarb in America date around 1790.
A perennial vegetable, rhubarb is a cool-season plant that is very winter hardy and resistant to drought. Rhubarb also is long-lived, and a plant can remain productive for eight-15 years.
Rhubarb is a popular vegetable in northern areas of the United States. It often does not do well in the South. It does not grow well in heat, producing thin, spindly stalks that lack color. Rhubarb tolerates most soils but grows best in fertile, well-drained soils that are high in organic matter. Composted manure is a good fertilizer for rhubarb.
Plant rhubarb roots in early spring. During the first year of planting the stalks should not be picked because food from the leaves is needed to nourish the roots for the next season. Light harvesting is recommended in the second year. Normal harvesting can begin in the third year. All the stalks of an established plant can be harvested at one time.
Established rhubarb clumps can be trimmed every four or five years or when the stalks get small and spindly. To trim a plant, dig around and trim the crown to four or five buds or simply take a spade and cut off a chunk and plant the cut roots for additional plants. Rhubarb is relatively free of insect and disease problems. It also will tolerate fair amount of neglect and still thrive. They are very tough plants.
Rhubarb is 95 percent water and contains a fair amount of potassium, minor amounts of vitamins, is low in sodium, and rich in vitamin C, dietary fiber and calcium. A cup contains about 25 calories.
Only the rhubarb stalk is eaten, which has a tart flavor. The leaf is poisonous, so make sure they are not ingested. The stalks require sweetening to minimize the tartness. It often is used as a sauce over ice cream or made into pies, tarts, puddings, breads, jam, jellies and used in beverages. Rhubarb can be stored by refrigeration, canning, freezing or drying.
A popular way to use rhubarb is in jam. Here is a simple recipe to try:
Peach rhubarb jam
Yield: About 7 half-pints.
2 quarts fresh rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cups sugar
1 21-ounce can peach pie filling
1 package orange flavored gelatin
one In a large bowl, combine rhubarb and sugar; allow to stand overnight.
two Transfer to a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
three Meanwhile, dice peaches and add with filling to saucepan; return to boiling.
four Remove from heat; add gelatin and stir until dissolved.
five Spoon into canning jars or freezer containers. Cool completely. Refrigerate or freeze.
Tip of the week
When your spring bulb blossoms have faded, it is time to prepare for next spring's floral show. Cut off the dead flowers but leave the green leaves. The leaves soak up sunshine, making food for next year's blooms. It is fine to remove the leaves once they have yellowed.
Have a question?
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This is the opinion of Betty Schmidt, who gardens without gloves because she loves the feel of soil and doesn't mind dirt under her fingernails.