Rhubarb Harvest Time

I love rhubarb.  Can something be so simple to grow and taste so good?  Not sure there is anything that can beat it.  It grows, you harvest it, you water it during the rest of the summer and then it starts all over again next spring.  You really don't even think about it.  The only problem for me is that the season is so short for rhubarb.  You really need to take advantage of it when it is ready.

I have four rhubarbs growing in my garden and they just keep growing and getting bigger every year.

Oldest in front and newest towards the back

I planted my first rhubarb plant about 15 years ago.  After 10 years I divided it and planted the new chunks right next to the original plant.  I then added two more rhubarb plants about 2 years ago to complete my rhubarb run at the end of the garden.  The last planting is an interesting variety that a friend gave to me when they were thinning out their rhubarb plants.  They had no idea the variety name but it is a very old variety and not your classic looking rhubarb.  It is interesting and frustrating because it wants to set a flower almost right away. In fact I have already had to cut the flower stalk out of one of the plants and it is only May 11th. The stalks on the older variety are very thick and mostly green.  Definitely not your typical red rhubarb.  This older variety provides a an excellent contrast to the newer variety that I have in taste and color.

Do you know how to harvest rhubarb?  I always thought you just cut it off at the base because that was how my Mom harvested her rhubarb.  I should have know better since my Mom was really not a gardener.  The best way to harvest and encourage more growth is to grab a stalk near the base and give it a gentle tug.  The stalk should pop right out.  With this method you leave a nice clean base for the plant to grow another stalk.

Notice the peas in the background

Probably the most important element of a successful gardener is to have someone that can turn what you grow into something really great to eat.  For me that someone is my wife.  I'm so lucky. Plus, she is an amazing baker.  She has great patience for me when I bring all the rhubarb into the kitchen and ask for a pie or crisp to be baked right away.  Here is a picture of what she did with my first harvest of rhubarb.  Looks really good.  Mmmmm, time for piece of pie.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie