How to grow rhubarb leaves in the garden

Everyone knows rhubarb leaves - beautiful patterned soft green garden dwellers. This popular plant is of a perennial type, with huge pure color leaves on thick reddish recognizable petioles. This type of cultural shoots has been used by humans for a long time. It has edible roots with a spicy sour taste. It is a valuable vegetable crop.

Rhubarb is a family of buckwheat (Polygonaceae). The genus has about 30 species. Among them there are decorative varieties of garden plants. Its homeland is Tibet and the northwest of China, where it has long been used as a healing agent. In ancient China, healers recommended the dried root to reduce fever. It was a well-deserved laxative and cleanser. The surviving mentions of medical use date back to the distant 2700 years. BC. In the old days, it was grown because of its buds. It was a delicacy. In northern Asia, and now they are used for food. And Europeans are a means of culinary culture, but in this area they began to use it not so long ago, only from the 18th century.

Rhubarb grows well in the garden. The canopy of fruit plants suits him. The plant is considered cold-resistant, long-lived. In one place, it can produce crops for 15 years. Young rhubarb bushes are hidden from the winter cold with compost, covered with rotted manure.

Rhubarb develops a powerful root structure:

The largest number of its roots grows at a depth of half a meter. There they are sufficiently reliably protected from the damaging effects of drought. The rhizome itself has a short length. It is large, "fleshy". With the help of a supply of nutrients, the leaves grow rapidly immediately after the snow melts.

The leaves grow back from the root, thereby creating a powerful bushy rosette. In different varieties, rhubarb can produce thick petioles in red and green tones. The reddish tastes softer. There are varieties that are famous for their weight - they can weigh up to a kilogram each.

Peduncles grow high, are straight. They are covered with red spots. The flowers are very small in size, green. They are not always easy to distinguish by their peculiar way of growing with panicles. Actually, reproduction occurs by cuttings or seeds.

The concept of a food grade of rhubarb contains several species, as well as hybrids (most often - R. palmatum, R. Rhabarbarum and by analogy). They are usually called rhubarb. The best varieties:

Bakers All Season with pinkish-green petioles.

An early harvest can be achieved. For this, the disembarkation is covered with a large pot. It should not let in light. There is a special hood with a lid that opens, and then the grown leaves can grow outside, receiving sunlight. And the stems will be closed. They will be able to stretch, making them more tender. When the plant is grown this way, the rhubarb will be ready to eat early, as early as April.

Rhubarb is cold-resistant and unpretentious. It grows well in the far corner of the garden. He needs a little time to grow into a large colony. Such flower beds, consisting of separate bushes, can and should be regularly separated.For division and transplantation, it is recommended to set aside the cold period, when development is suspended, and the transplanted plants have the opportunity to root better. The culture grows from seed. But with such cultivation, the fruits will be only in a few years.

Rhubarb will prefer a sunny or partial shade location, moist permeable soil types, where the level of humus is high. It is better to choose early spring for fertilization. Rotted manure is used.

When flower arrows form, break them out immediately. This is done at the base of the plant. This will yield a good harvest. The flowers look peculiar, but due to their formation, the development of the plant is reduced.

As soon as a crop is formed, it needs to be harvested. In this case, the leaves must be cut off. Foliage is toxic because it contains a high content of harmful oxalic acid.

The stems last for a week if refrigerated. They are wrapped in plastic wrap. You can store the leaves all winter, but in the freezer, and the stems are cut into 2 cm pieces. They are also put in a bag. These are the rhubarb leaves in cultivation.