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Rhubarb in the Vegetable Garden.

Posted by TopVeg - February 7th, 2008

So glad Freddie of the GreatBigVegetableChallenge likes rhubarb, and has been eating it straight from the vegetable garden.

We went to Wakefield to see the rhubarb sheds, which are surrounded by huge water pipes carrying hot water to keep the sheds warm. Small fireplaces in each shed glow as they heat the water for the heating pipes.

But the most amazing thing was seeing the stocky Yorkshire-men carrying small candles into the shed to pick the rhubarb stalks. Only very small flames are allowed, because the tender, pink stalks need absolute darkness! The roofs are low, and there is a strange silence in the sheds.

For more information on rhubarb see:

Click on the image below to visit amazon.com & find out more about this book or visit the TopVeg bookshop.

Rhubarb crumble is the ultimate reward for growing rhubarb in the vegetable garden.

Posted in fruit

6 Comments »

Wow. We’re a long way from fresh local rhubarb here (late April, usually) and I don’t know of anyone who cultivates it in this manner. I learns somethin’ new every day, I does!

Comment by jodi - February 7, 2008 4:35 pm
Hi Jodi

Good to hear from you in Canada - I think you are quite high up, too, so your rhubarb will be later than ours!

Thanks for visiting

TopVeg

Comment by TopVeg - February 7, 2008 5:20 pm
I had a piece of rhubarb pie during the holidays. Very good. Never considered growing this plant. I heard it was hard to prepare.

Comment by Curtis - February 8, 2008 1:04 am
Rhubarb likes to be kept moist in summer - so I wonder if your soil is too dry? Our english climate is ideal for rhubarb.

Comment by TopVeg - February 8, 2008 6:36 am
Yea too dry. I would probably let it dry out.

I can’t even water my containers in the summer enough. Once a day is not enough for them but its all I can do.

Comment by Curtis - February 8, 2008 4:19 pm
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