Masochistic Rhubarb

[SweetiePie]

I know there have to be some gardeners on here. I tried some container gardening last year as the critters in the yard get to everything before I do if I plant in the yard. I had mixed results. Good with the herbs, tomatoes and root veggies; not so good with beets (birds kept eating the greens), strawberries (dried up nubs) and rhubarb (stalks shriveled and died ). Well, come spring I open the garage after a long cold winter and there's my rhubarb plant with yellow leaves but 3 perfect stalks of rhubarb. No light, no water, no sun for months and it grows; but when I pamper it, it dies. What gives?

 

[user 26]

well, i love gardens but i'm not a great gardener. my best success is by chance it seems.
my grandparents had rhubard and what i remember is that rhubarb has to go dormant for a while. when i helped transplant some, the first year you don't try to harvest anything, just let it alone except to clip off any 'flowers'. the second year too. this will let the plants develop strong roots.
we used to water it well but only once a week. and covered the bed with mulch from grass clippings and leaves in the fall made the plants really happy.
my mother used to have great success with poinsettas. putting the plants in the basement for months to let them go dormant. looked totally dead to me. then in the fall, she'd clean out any cobwebs, water them, set them in the sun and HELLO! by december, those plants would flower.

 

[swirt]

I tried some pot gardening last year...
LOL You may want to change that to read "gardening in pots" or you may have the local boys in blue knocking on your door....or maybe some slow-witted teenager hoping to buy something.

 

[SweetiePie]

Now that I have rhubarb, does anyone have any good ideas on how to prepare it? I've had strawberry rhubarb jam, which was very good, but don't have enough for that.

 

[muirford]

Now that I have rhubarb, does anyone have any good ideas on how to prepare it? I've had strawberry rhubarb jam, which was very good, but don't have enough for that..

I just made a rhubarb compote which I will mix with some fresh fruit and yogurt for a breakfast parfait in a day or so - 1/2 lb. rhubarb, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp. grated ginger, 1/2 Tbl. orange zest, 1 1/2 Tbls. orange juice and about 1/4 cup of water simmered until about half of the rhubarb breaks down. It's a nice change with the orange & ginger from the typical strawberry pairing.

 

[SweetiePie]

That sounds good. I'll have to try it.

 

[Sunshine]

I love rhubarb! I have two plants a friend gave me from her yard, that I transplanted. Now they are large and I love it.
I make strawberry rhubarb pie,
rhubarb crisp (a favorite around here).. great with ice cream and you could add strawberries or other fruit to,
rhubarb cobbler,
muffins,
and a great rhubarb sauce for over ice cream or what ever you want to serve it over.

 

[birdwatcher]

I havent ventured into the veggie gardeing yet, kind of scared. Have much success with flowers though and herbs. I think I may try tomatoes this year, I love them. We shall see.
About the poinsetta, I have a really nice one still left from Christmas, do I stick it in the basement now? or wait? I always seem to palce it outside during the season and by fall I forget to bring them in. thanks in advance

 

[hiddencove]

Rhubarb loves abuse!