How to Plant, Grow and Harvest Rhubarb

Rhubarb is a delicious cool-weather veggie and a great addition to any edible garden - even mixed in between flowers in a sunny perennial bed. 

The Chinese call rhubarb "the great yellow" and have used rhubarb root for medicinal purposes for thousands of years.  During Islamic times, it was imported along the Silk Road, reaching Europe in the 14th century through the ports of Aleppo and Smyrna.  Rhubarb was grown in Scotland from at least 1786, having been introduced to the Botanical Garden in Edinburgh.

With its delicious edible leaf stalks loaded with a tangy yet sweet, crisp flavor, it often serves as the perfect companion for strawberries or as the main ingredient in pies, jams, and jellies. Here are a few tips about how to plant, grow, and harvest Rhubarb:

Take the root and crown and place it on the ground.  Don’t put them more than 1 or 2 inches into the soil or they won’t come up.  Once flower stalks appear on the growing rhubarb, remove them right away so they don’t rob the plant of nutrients.  Cutting the seeds will trick the plant into continuing to produce delicious ruby red stalks, thereby extending the delectable season for rhubarb-strawberry pie.

Water the plants during dry weather.  Rhubarb doesn’t tolerate drought.  If newly planted, Rhubarb should not be harvested the first year, to help the plant establish itself.  Wait a year or two before you begin to harvest.

Make sure the plant is ready to be harvested.  The best time to harvest is from spring to early summer—usually May to early July.  Although they can be picked into late summer, stop collecting the stalks well before the first frost, to help ensure that the plant makes it through winter.  To harvest, the stalks should be at least 10 to 15 inches long. 

Gently grab near the base of the desired stalk and slowly pull and twist. Make sure to cut the leaves off the stalks and discard them: they are poisonous and should never be consumed.

Splitting rhubarb will give new life to the plant.  Dig around the root clump (6 inches deep) and lift the whole plant from the ground.  Divide the root ball into sections containing at least one bud and up to two to three buds with plenty of roots by cutting down through the crown between the buds. 

Prior to transplanting, soak the refrigerated sections in room temperature water overnight. Select a planting site that is in full sun with a slightly acidic soil pH of 6.5.  Add lots of compost or composted manure and a handful of rock phosphate or bone meal per planting hole.  Mulch around the plant, best with straw. 

Happy Gardening!

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Mandevilla - Annual or Perennial?

 

Four or five years ago I found this beautiful tropical/subtropical plant in a nursery. I was immediately smitten by the lush blooms. In the meantime, they are amazingly popular and can even be found in ordinary garden centers. No wonder: They are vigorously blooming from late spring into fall, and will grow larger, especially the Mandevilla vines. 

Gardeners appreciate Mandevilla vines (Mandevilla splendens) for their ability to climb up trellises and garden walls quickly and easily. The climbing vine can cover a backyard, hiding eyesores quickly and beautifully.  Mandevilla species are native to the Southwestern US, Mexico, Central America, the West Indies, and South America, especially Brasil.

This beautiful plant is tougher than it looks, but it will not grow or bloom in temperatures lower than 50 degrees F.  However, the roots are still alive and the plant will grow back in spring. In climates lower than zone 8, the plant may not survive the winter. The solution is to grow the Mandevilla in a pot and bring it indoors when temps reach about  50 degrees F.
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How to Grow for Mandevilla Outdoors
Plant the Mandevilla in partial shade and well-drained soil.  Water the plant regularly, but allow the soil to dry between each irrigation.  Fertilize Mandevilla regularly during the growing season.  To maintain your young plant, train the vine to grow on a trellis.  Pinch or prune young plants to encourage bushy growth and to maintain the desired size and shape.

Mandevilla Indoor Growing 
Mandevilla is suitable for growing indoors year-round, but this tropical plant needs a warm, sunny location such as a south-facing window, especially in winter.  If you have a sunroom with light from all sites your Mandevilla might even bloom in winter.  But don’t force and fertilize it.  The plant needs a rest during wintertime.

Trim the plants back. This will decrease the leaf loss you see inside and help prime some new growth that's better adapted to indoor conditions.  A popular spray that is okay to use on a plant you are bringing indoors is Neem Oil.  Once a month bring your plant into the shower to apply some moisture onto the leaves.

Move the plant outdoors during the summer months. Water when the soil feels dry to the touch, then allow the pot to drain thoroughly. This includes indoor heating vents. Blasts of hot (or cold) air can cause yellow or brown foliage. Fertilize the plant regularly during spring and summer. Repot the Mandevilla plant to a slightly larger pot with a drainage hole every spring. Pinch wilted blooms regularly and prune the plant at least by half in late autumn.

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