harvesting rhubarb?

[STHLMgreen]

Can I harvest rhubarb now? I read somewhere that you shouldn't harvest after midsommar.

I just inherited the plant with my lottie. A few of the leaves have dies over the last week but it's nice sized healthy looking plant otherwise. It is growing in a pretty shady spot.  Not sure it that matters.

Thanks in advance!

[STHLMgreen]

[Grant]

Theory is it will be too bitter.  No harm in trying it, but if you can lay your hands(not literaly) on some horse manure and cover the patch of rhubarb, you should get a decent crop next year.

[STHLMgreen]

thanks Grant.

mMaybe a silly question but I'm new to all this, composted horse manure, right?

It won't hurt the plant?
I was thinking of making something with the rhubarb and our supersweet raspberries. May be a good contrast.

[nippie]

Ours is a really healthy crown with some smashing rhubarb which we pick when ever we want it. It is always fine. I didn't know you shouldn't pick after mid summer, I've never had a problem  :)

[Curryandchips]

Rhubarb leaves have an acid - oxalic acid - which is toxic. During the later end of the year, the acid migrates into the stems, and thus will be harvested when stalks are pulled. Also, I believe the stalks are going to be rather tough at this time of year. Grant's recommendation about the horsemuck sounds best to me. You can get lots about oxalic acid by googling.

[nippie]

Oooh Curry you have worried me now  :o I have been eating oxalic acid and didn't know. I will get some horse muck and leave the rhubarb till next year  :)

[Grant]

The rhubarb will naturally rot down in the winter and the manure will feed the crown.  In the early Spring you can cover some of it with a weighted down black bucket and you will get some early tender sticks.

[wivvles]

Be careful not to cover the crown itself as this may lead to crown rot.  Or so I am reliably informed.

[Robert_Brenchley]

They get less juicy as the season progresses, and they do get more oxalic in the stems towards the end of the season. 'They' say you shouldn't pick when there's an 'R' in the month, but I stopped some time ago due to the drought.

[philandjan]

'They' say you shouldn't pick when there's an 'R' in the month, ....

We only ever harvest on days when there is a "y" in the day - no problems with the rhubarb picked on this basis.

Our 15 plants are having a mad growing fit at the moment, including lots of thin red juicy stems.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I once picked all the floppy stems the morning after the first frost, and cooked them. They were lovely. That was two 'R's; one in 'October' and one in 'Frost'.

[bennettsleg]

You may also like to put a few leaves in a bucket of water and let it steep for a few days.  It will smell, but with a few drops - literally - of liquid soap (like Ecover washing up liquid) it's a good alternative to chemical insect sprays.

[Curryandchips]

'Smell' is playing it down rather strongly, 'disgusting stink' is more to the mark  ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

if you want to pick grammatical nits, 'smelling' is what you do when you encounter the awful stink or stench of the stuff.

[powerspade]

The acid in rhubarb rises into the stems from midsummer onwards, there is no problem as long as you like the taste, but there is a problem if you suffer from arthritis the acid can inflame the joints affected even more so take it easy

[STHLMgreen]

You may also like to put a few leaves in a bucket of water and let it steep for a few days.  It will smell, but with a few drops - literally - of liquid soap (like Ecover washing up liquid) it's a good alternative to chemical insect sprays.

This is a good tip!
Will it work on these pesky ants we have in two places on our plot?

[Robert_Brenchley]

It'll exterminate any insects that come into contact with it. I use oxalic acid to control varroa mites on bees, and the dosage has to be pretty carefully controlled to avoid killing the bees as well.