Norann Oleson, Editorial Director of Food Gardening Network
Welcome to the crisp, tangy world of rhubarb!
Rhubarb is the plant that just keeps giving, year after year. This cold-hardy perennial is about as easy to grow as a plant can be. Easy to grow, easy to harvest, and easy to cook with. With just a little TLC, you can keep yourself in rhubarb for 10 or 20 years, maybe more. And, as your plants grow, you can divide them to get even more rhubarb plants! So get ready to pick a spot in your garden to get growing.
You can grow rhubarb in your garden or on your deck, with very little fuss. We’ll walk you through the whole process.
First is the collection’s Introduction, where you’ll learn some of the basics about rhubarb and how to choose the right variety to grow. You’ll also get the history of this sprawling vegetable we treat as a fruit.
Next, in the Feature Articles, you’ll get specifics about rhubarb growing—from the types of rhubarb to the best way to start growing to watering, fertilizing, and harvesting your plants so they stay healthy and productive throughout the season.
There’s a lot to know about growing rhubarb, so even if you’re a veteran, you might learn something new. We aim to gather everything there is to know about growing rhubarb into this single collection!
We have several Plant Profiles with the more popular varieties listed, including options for gardeners around the country and those who want to grow rhubarb in containers.
We’ve chosen these rhubarb plant profiles because they are some of the most commonly grown. If you’d like us to include another rhubarb variety that appeals to you, please let me know by commenting below.
After all, this is Food Gardening Network, and we want to include the knowledge of all our gardening readers in everything we do. Your input is just as important to us as anything we come up with on our own!
We do think you’ll love the rhubarb Recipes we’ve compiled for enjoying the fruits of your labor. They cover some traditional uses of rhubarb, plus some new approaches to using rhubarb you might want to try.
You can always make a classic rhubarb pie. But our Remarkable Rhubarb recipes let you showcase your rhubarb harvest in other ways, too. We have recipes that work as well with dessert as with dinner, plus a great way to toast your first successful rhubarb harvest.
After that, you’ll be interested to learn how rhubarb can benefit your health in Nutrition Facts about Rhubarb. Rhubarb has great antioxidant properties, and it’s packed with vitamin K for healthy bones.
Then there are the Home Remedies & Health Benefits of Rhubarb where you’ll learn how rhubarb is thought to help heart health, prevent cancer, and contribute to better digestive health.
Because we want you to have everything there is to know about rhubarb at your fingertips, we’ve included a Resources section that’s complementary to this collection. Learn more about tools helpful for growing rhubarb, and kitchen tools that will come in handy after you’ve harvested your rhubarb.
As always, we’ve included a brief Glossary in case you need a deeper explanation of any key terms. Be sure to let us know if there’s something else you need explained.
I’m off to make some Classic Rhubarb Pie for dessert right now, but I hope you’re ready to dive in and become a master rhubarb grower!
