Rhubarb

Steve_xx

Got myself a rhubarb crown this year and I'm very pleased with its progress. Then today I was looking at it and then wondered how I would know at what point it is ready for picking?

tanith

If this is the first year its been planted then its advisable to just let it grow without picking for the first year. I've been picking mine for about a month , a crown that is in its 2nd yr and I just pick when I have plenty of thickish sticks , pull and twist when picking don't cut, it'll keep on growing new stalks for quite a while..

Steve_xx

tanith wrote: »

If this is the first year its been planted then its advisable to just let it grow without picking for the first year. I've been picking mine for about a month , a crown that is in its 2nd yr and I just pick when I have plenty of thickish sticks , pull and twist when picking don't cut, it'll keep on growing new stalks for quite a while..

OK I see. The stems dont need to be red then?

Also, I know that the leaves are poisonous, but do you have to peel the stems or can you just cut them up and stew them?

I think I'd like to try making a jam with it.

tanith

No they don't have to be red , they are a bit sweeter when red I think, I don't peel the stems just give a good wash. I just love stewed rhubarb , with ice-cream its delicious.. rhubarb crumble/sponge, I substitute rhubarb in an apple cake recipe , lots of ways to use it.

Steve_xx

I'd heard somewhere that it is possible to make jam with it and was thinking I might have a go.

valk_scot

Yes, you can make rhubarb jam with it. But you'll only get a pot or two from a new plant and picking it now will mean its growth will be extremely poor next year. Leave it alone this year, then next year you'll be able to make lots of jam.

Steve_xx

valk_scot wrote: »

Yes, you can make rhubarb jam with it. But you'll only get a pot or two from a new plant and picking it now will mean its growth will be extremely poor next year. Leave it alone this year, then next year you'll be able to make lots of jam.

OK, what's the recipe for making it into jam?

oldtractor

http://www.allotment.org.uk/recipes/jams-conserves/rhubarb-jam
but please dont pick any stems this year. You need to wait til next year otherwise the rhubarb crown is weakened too much.

Farway

And do not pick after July, give it time to recover for the following year

splodger_seedswapper

Farway wrote: »

And do not pick after July, give it time to recover for the following year

ditto - i never pick rhubarb after mid/late june

harrys_nan

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/251611/rhubarb-and-vanilla-jam

Rhubarb and vanilla jam

I've made this this afternoon, 1st time of making this one so cant comment, but the reviews seem ok