Topic: Rhubarb - To eat or not to eat

[Spanner]

Having got my allotment in April last year I managed to plant up some rhubarb crowns in August. They seem to be growing really well so far and are putting on lots of leaves, but I'm not sure whether I should be harvesting them yet? The book I have says not to harvest for a year after they've been planted, but they're looking healthy so I'm getting tempted to eat them.
Does anyone have any advice? Am I likely to cause them any permenent damage by cropping from them now?

[Chantenay]

I was in your position last year  I would do a little gentle cropping this year - after all, they have been in nine months.

[triffid]

Could you bear to wait till autumn, and then harvest a few stalks?

That's what I'm going to do with my latest rhubarb (acquired from Yorkshire aunty last September and, like yours, doing very nicely.) That way you've given your plants a full season to get established, and they'll be tough as old boots for years to come. If you really can't wait for your rhubarb fool/crumble etc, I'm sure pulling a few stalks won't be more than a minor setback.
I'm just hyper-cautious with things that I'm growing for the long-term!  ::)

...

I've just looked up the cultivation guidelines in a couple of my veg/fruit books, and they both recommend 12-18 months before a first harvest, so obviously they're erring on the side of caution too.  :)

[Mrs Ava]

I don't know about leaving rhubarb that late in the year before harvest.  I seem to remember that the oxalic acid builds up in the stems as the year progresses and so can become ever so slightly poisonous if eaten in large quantities.  To be honest, bubby is as tough as old boots.  If there are masses of stems, then I would take a few young ones every couple of weeks.  Not loads, just enough for the odd crumble or pie, then give it a good dressing of rotted manure come autumn/winter and next year you will have more rhubarb than you can shake a crumble at!  ;D

[David R]

Agree with EJ.  It will most probably be inedible come autumn (so sour your mouth will pucker up for hours!!! :o).
Some ruby can be ok, depends on the strain, but best not to bother after mid June.

[amanda21]

How do you know when it's okay to pick - did I read something about waiting until the leaves are completely open?  Also can the leaves go on the compost heap? 

[Robert_Brenchley]

I have eaten it in the autumn, picked when the stalks were flopping after the first frost. It was OK, but not as good as the early crop, which is always the juiciest.

Let it get to a reasonable size, then eat it as soon as you want. I always compost the leaves, but you can boil them up to make home-made insecticide.

[David R]

which is illegal i think ;D :-X

[Spanner]

Thanks guys. Think I may pop over this evening and get a couple of stalks. OH will be conscripted into crumble creation. ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

Homemade insecticides were banned some years ago because of the number of people being killed by nicotine concoctions; how anyone can bear to take that suff into their lungs I can't imagine.. Less poisonous ones like rhubarb tea are still well known, but of course I wouldn't suggest for a moment that anyone actually break the law! Threaten the bugs with rhubarb, and who know, they may decide to emigrate to your neighbour's plot.

[caroline7758]

Now I know why I'd never heard of the nicotine spray that woman on the Big Dig was using!

As for putting the leaves on the compost heap, some say they are two acid, others say no problem- I put mine on.

[Barnowl]

I don;t think the leaves can be too acid since Brassicas like limey soil and it is suggested that you put a rhubarb leaf underneath when planting cabbages etc  out (to curb clubroot).

[Mrs Ava]

Unless you are putting mountains of rhubarb leaves on your heap, then it is fine.  A bit like the orange skin saga we had a few months ago.  It would be a shame to bin all of those lovely thick juicy green leaves!  Amanda, I pick mine as and when I want them and if I want the really little stems, then I pick them as well.  I have never heard about that with the leaves being open.

[kt.]

I re-located and transplanted some rhubarb from my old plot last summer. Stalks are currently about 1ft long, 1inch wide. Gonna leave these till next year before harvesting. Now the leaves are through quite well I think they are timperley early & Victoria.  (Also Put in a crown purchased from a nursery in January - Victoria. this will be left till next spring though)

[BAK]

As mentioned recently in connection with recipes, see the rhubarb compendium site for all things rhubarb, including when to eat it. It is one of the most comprehensive sites that I have seen.

http://www.rhubarbinfo.com/

[saddad]

Mine is just about right for the first flush... there's no fool like a Rhubarb Fool!
 8)

[ruffmeister]

just pick it, but dont strip it down to the earth, be snesible an take a few stalks a month in its first year and then you can pick it normally.

[budgester]

Homemade insecticides were banned some years ago because of the number of people being killed by nicotine concoctions; how anyone can bear to take that suff into their lungs I can't imagine..

Unfortunately its a bit of an addiction, a bit like allotmenting.

However this year I will at least know what goes into my cigs, and pipe as i'm growing some of the seeds from here.

http://www.coffinails.com/