Many companies ship extra-early, based on rough frost-date estimates for each area that may not be exactly what’s going on at your place, but is that really when I want the starts to arrive? I asked for advice from Alley Swiss of Filaree Farm, a longtime certified-organic farmer in Okanogan, Washington, whose main crops—garlic, shallots and potatoes—are favorites in my garden, too.(You might recall the popular garlic-growing Q&A Alley and I did together, and our later garlic-growing piece in my column in “The New York Times.” I’ve learned a lot from our ongoing conversations–including that it’s OK to wait a little while for the seed potatoes to arrive.)how to grow potatoes, with alley swissQ. When is the right time to plant—is there a cue in nature to remind us, or a
When and How to Harvest Rhubarb
07.07.2023 - 03:30 / gardenerspath.com / Laura Ojeda Melchor
When and How to Harvest RhubarbGrowing rhubarb, Rheum rhabarbarum, is not for those who lack patience.
Compared to something like a carrot, which you can enjoy just 60 to 75 days after planting, pie plant takes months. Often one year. Sometimes two or three.
But oh, when you finally bite into that heavenly slice of rhubarb pie, crisp, or crumble, the wait will have been beyond worthwhile.
This means that if you haven’t ever grown rhubarb before, you should start now. Check out our complete guide to growing rhubarb to get started.
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While you eagerly wait for your stalks, or petioles, to grow large enough for picking, let’s learn all about when and how to harvest rhubarb.
Here’s what I’ll cover:
When to Harvest RhubarbThere are many ways to plant: from seed, crown, bare root, or division. And you if you don’t have space in your garden, you can always grow rhubarb in containers.
We cover this in more detail in our guide to rhubarb varieties. But each planting method has different harvest specifications, so let’s find out what that’s all about.
From Divisions: The Quickest Way to Home-Grown StalksDivisions are taken from rhubarb plants that are either about to go dormant for the winter, or about to leave the days of dormancy behind.
If you’re lucky enough to score a division from a friend, you’ll get to enjoy your own tart stalks come springtime.
This is because divisions are already mature plants that will produce stalks easily. The yield depends on how large the root section is.
(Hint: the larger it is, the more pie plant stalks you’ll get to harvest!)
So don’t be shy. Ask your rhubarb-laden gardening friends if you can
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