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Rhubarb ?
Last year I was given a rhubarb plant which I planted in the garden.
Prepared a plot and dug in a bag full of compost. Over the last couple of weeks, the rhubarb has shot up... probably because it has got a little warmer. I have a couple of questions: 1. I was told that you are not supposed to eat the first harvest..... Is this correct ? 2. When should I harvest the plant ? James |
Quote:
You take what you need when you want it - or are you intending to freeze or make jam with it? |
Rhubarb ?
1. I was told that you are not supposed to eat the first
harvest..... Is this correct ? I've never heard of that, and I have always eaten all the stalks I've picked. 2. When should I harvest the plant ? You can pull stalks as soon as you like. I pulled my first ones this year two or three weeks ago. Just don't pull them all at once - take a few and eat (or freeze) them, then a few more and so on. They are sweet and tender in spring, and they get tougher as the season goes on, but if you always choose fresh young stalks they're always good. If you see stalks with flower heads developing, cut them out and throw them away to prevent the plant bolting, as it won't put out fresh stalks once it's done that. |
Rhubarb ?
"the_constructor" wrote in message news:DZGdnbwWLsCgh7_VnZ2dnUVZ8sijnZ2d@plusnet... Last year I was given a rhubarb plant which I planted in the garden. Prepared a plot and dug in a bag full of compost. Over the last couple of weeks, the rhubarb has shot up... probably because it has got a little warmer. I have a couple of questions: 1. I was told that you are not supposed to eat the first harvest..... Is this correct ? I've never heard that, we dined on ours on Tuesday and are still here ... 2. When should I harvest the plant ? When you want to use it. Mary |
Rhubarb ?
"the_constructor" wrote in message news:DZGdnbwWLsCgh7_VnZ2dnUVZ8sijnZ2d@plusnet... Last year I was given a rhubarb plant which I planted in the garden. Prepared a plot and dug in a bag full of compost. Over the last couple of weeks, the rhubarb has shot up... probably because it has got a little warmer. I have a couple of questions: 1. I was told that you are not supposed to eat the first harvest..... Is this correct ? A little bit of Chinese Whispers methinks! It's not that you don't eat the first harvest (if that were the case then forced rhubarb would all have to be chucked!) If the plant is young or small, you don't harvest from it in the first year to allow the plant to build up a good root system. However, if it has thrown up plenty of sturdy sticks then it will not harm to take a few so long as you stop picking mid-end June and let the plant build up it's reserves for next year. |
Rhubarb ?
In message , Mary Fisher
writes "the_constructor" wrote in message news:DZGdnbwWLsCgh7_VnZ2dnUVZ8sijnZ2d@plusnet.. . Last year I was given a rhubarb plant which I planted in the garden. Prepared a plot and dug in a bag full of compost. Over the last couple of weeks, the rhubarb has shot up... probably because it has got a little warmer. I have a couple of questions: 1. I was told that you are not supposed to eat the first harvest..... Is this correct ? I've never heard that, we dined on ours on Tuesday and are still here ... A reason for not harvesting rhubarb in its first season (as opposed to the first leaves of the season) would be to allow the plant to establish properly - too aggressive harvesting would weaken the plant. It sounds as if his plant is sufficiently established that at least light harvesting wouldn't be a problem. (Over the years I've dug up the old rhubarb bed on the allotment, which when I inherited it was mixed with brambles, nettles and couch grass, and established a new, smaller, bed. I left most of the plants in the new bed to their own devices last year.) 2. When should I harvest the plant ? When you want to use it. Mary -- alias Ernest Major |
Rhubarb ?
On May 8, 11:45*am, Stewart Robert Hinsley
wrote: In message , Mary Fisher writes "the_constructor" wrote in message news:DZGdnbwWLsCgh7_VnZ2dnUVZ8sijnZ2d@plusnet.. . Last year I was given a rhubarb plant which I planted in the garden. Prepared a plot and dug in a bag full of compost. Over the last couple of weeks, the rhubarb has shot up... probably because it has got a little warmer. I have a couple of questions: 1. * *I was told that you are not supposed to eat the first harvest...... Is this correct * * ? I've never heard that, we dined on ours on Tuesday and are still here ... A reason for not harvesting rhubarb in its first season (as opposed to the first leaves of the season) would be to allow the plant to establish properly - too aggressive harvesting would weaken the plant. It sounds as if his plant is sufficiently established that at least light harvesting wouldn't be a problem. That was how I understood the OP, and that would have been my response, based on the advice I got in the garden centre where I bought mine some years ago. There is now way I could have harvested my rhubarb their first year. Now, I can just keep pulling. I was also told to stop harvesting from July onwards, due to the higher levels of toxins which are supposed to build up in the plant from then on in the season. Although I seem to recall some people here rubbishing that. That being said, I generally have had my fill of rhubarb by July, and there would be more exciting fruits in the garden by then :-) Cat(h) |
Rhubarb ?
In message
, "Cat(h)" writes On May 8, 11:45*am, Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote: In message , Mary Fisher writes "the_constructor" wrote in message news:DZGdnbwWLsCgh7_VnZ2dnUVZ8sijnZ2d@plusnet.. . Last year I was given a rhubarb plant which I planted in the garden. Prepared a plot and dug in a bag full of compost. Over the last couple of weeks, the rhubarb has shot up... probably because it has got a little warmer. I have a couple of questions: 1. * *I was told that you are not supposed to eat the first harvest..... Is this correct * * ? I've never heard that, we dined on ours on Tuesday and are still here ... A reason for not harvesting rhubarb in its first season (as opposed to the first leaves of the season) would be to allow the plant to establish properly - too aggressive harvesting would weaken the plant. It sounds as if his plant is sufficiently established that at least light harvesting wouldn't be a problem. That was how I understood the OP, and that would have been my response, based on the advice I got in the garden centre where I bought mine some years ago. There is now way I could have harvested my rhubarb their first year. Now, I can just keep pulling. I was also told to stop harvesting from July onwards, due to the higher levels of toxins which are supposed to build up in the plant from then on in the season. Although I seem to recall some people here rubbishing that. That being said, I generally have had my fill of rhubarb by July, and there would be more exciting fruits in the garden by then :-) I don't know about toxicity later in the season - there have been people who have said that they've eaten late rhubarb and survived - but I find that later on in the year rhubarb becomes rather fibrous. Giving the plant a chance to recover doesn't do any harm either. Cat(h) -- Stewart Robert Hinsley |
Rhubarb ?
"Cat(h)" wrote in message ... On May 8, 11:45 am, Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote: In message , Mary Fisher writes "the_constructor" wrote in message news:DZGdnbwWLsCgh7_VnZ2dnUVZ8sijnZ2d@plusnet.. . Last year I was given a rhubarb plant which I planted in the garden. Prepared a plot and dug in a bag full of compost. Over the last couple of weeks, the rhubarb has shot up... probably because it has got a little warmer. I have a couple of questions: 1. I was told that you are not supposed to eat the first harvest..... Is this correct ? I've never heard that, we dined on ours on Tuesday and are still here ... A reason for not harvesting rhubarb in its first season (as opposed to the first leaves of the season) would be to allow the plant to establish properly - too aggressive harvesting would weaken the plant. It sounds as if his plant is sufficiently established that at least light harvesting wouldn't be a problem. That was how I understood the OP, and that would have been my response, based on the advice I got in the garden centre where I bought mine some years ago. There is now way I could have harvested my rhubarb their first year. Now, I can just keep pulling. I was also told to stop harvesting from July onwards, due to the higher levels of toxins which are supposed to build up in the plant from then on in the season. Although I seem to recall some people here rubbishing that. That being said, I generally have had my fill of rhubarb by July, and there would be more exciting fruits in the garden by then :-) That's when the freezer comes into its own! Mary Cat(h) |
Rhubarb ?
On May 8, 3:13*pm, Stewart Robert Hinsley
wrote: In message , "Cat(h)" writes On May 8, 11:45*am, Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote: In message , Mary Fisher writes "the_constructor" wrote in message news:DZGdnbwWLsCgh7_VnZ2dnUVZ8sijnZ2d@plusnet.. . Last year I was given a rhubarb plant which I planted in the garden. Prepared a plot and dug in a bag full of compost. Over the last couple of weeks, the rhubarb has shot up... probably because it has got a little warmer. I have a couple of questions: 1. * *I was told that you are not supposed to eat the first harvest..... Is this correct * * ? I've never heard that, we dined on ours on Tuesday and are still here .... A reason for not harvesting rhubarb in its first season (as opposed to the first leaves of the season) would be to allow the plant to establish properly - too aggressive harvesting would weaken the plant. It sounds as if his plant is sufficiently established that at least light harvesting wouldn't be a problem. That was how I understood the OP, and that would have been my response, based on the advice I got in the garden centre where I bought mine some years ago. *There is now way I could have harvested my rhubarb their first year. Now, I can just keep pulling. I was also told to stop harvesting from July onwards, due to the higher levels of toxins which are supposed to build up in the plant from then on in the season. *Although I seem to recall some people here rubbishing that. *That being said, I generally have had my fill of rhubarb by July, and there would be more exciting fruits in the garden by then :-) I don't know about toxicity later in the season - there have been people who have said that they've eaten late rhubarb and survived - but I find that later on in the year rhubarb becomes rather fibrous. Giving the plant a chance to recover doesn't do any harm either. Very true. The toxicity stories might just be to put manners on the gluttons :-) Cat(h) |
Rhubarb ?
On May 8, 4:55*pm, "Mary Fisher" wrote:
"Cat(h)" wrote in message ... On May 8, 11:45 am, Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote: In message , Mary Fisher writes "the_constructor" wrote in message news:DZGdnbwWLsCgh7_VnZ2dnUVZ8sijnZ2d@plusnet.. . Last year I was given a rhubarb plant which I planted in the garden. Prepared a plot and dug in a bag full of compost. Over the last couple of weeks, the rhubarb has shot up... probably because it has got a little warmer. I have a couple of questions: 1. I was told that you are not supposed to eat the first harvest..... Is this correct ? I've never heard that, we dined on ours on Tuesday and are still here .... A reason for not harvesting rhubarb in its first season (as opposed to the first leaves of the season) would be to allow the plant to establish properly - too aggressive harvesting would weaken the plant. It sounds as if his plant is sufficiently established that at least light harvesting wouldn't be a problem. That was how I understood the OP, and that would have been my response, based on the advice I got in the garden centre where I bought mine some years ago. *There is now way I could have harvested my rhubarb their first year. Now, I can just keep pulling. I was also told to stop harvesting from July onwards, due to the higher levels of toxins which are supposed to build up in the plant from then on in the season. *Although I seem to recall some people here rubbishing that. *That being said, I generally have had my fill of rhubarb by July, and there would be more exciting fruits in the garden by then :-) That's when the freezer comes into its own! The freezer is a wonderous thing... I made many of my jams in January this year... It's hard to find time to do normal family/household duties, pick fruit, do the garden, *and* make jam in a summer week end. Cat(h) |
Rhubarb ?
"Cat(h)" wrote in message ... The freezer is a wonderous thing... I made many of my jams in January this year... So did I. It's hard to find time to do normal family/household duties, pick fruit, do the garden, *and* make jam in a summer week end. Not only that but the fruit doesn't come in the right quantity at any one time. It needs to collected over weeks sometimes - raspberries and brambles particularly. And rhubarb :-) Mary |
Rhubarb ?
"Kase" wrote in message ... "the_constructor" wrote in message news:DZGdnbwWLsCgh7_VnZ2dnUVZ8sijnZ2d@plusnet... Last year I was given a rhubarb plant which I planted in the garden. Prepared a plot and dug in a bag full of compost. Over the last couple of weeks, the rhubarb has shot up... probably because it has got a little warmer. I have a couple of questions: 1. I was told that you are not supposed to eat the first harvest..... Is this correct ? A little bit of Chinese Whispers methinks! It's not that you don't eat the first harvest (if that were the case then forced rhubarb would all have to be chucked!) If the plant is young or small, you don't harvest from it in the first year to allow the plant to build up a good root system. However, if it has thrown up plenty of sturdy sticks then it will not harm to take a few so long as you stop picking mid-end June and let the plant build up it's reserves for next year. My thanks to all who replied. Rhubarb and ice cream.... Lovely. Looking forward to making same rhubarb wine.. as well. James |
Rhubarb ?
"the_constructor" wrote in message et... Rhubarb and ice cream.... Lovely. I think that nothing beats rhubarb and cream. I'm salivating at the thought! Mary |
Rhubarb ?
On May 9, 2:33 pm, "Mary Fisher" wrote:
"the_constructor" wrote in message et... Rhubarb and ice cream.... Lovely. I think that nothing beats rhubarb and cream. I'm salivating at the thought! Mary For me it's rhubarb and custard - especially when made into rhubarb fool. Judith |
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