How to grow rhubarb in the country: planting and care in open ground

Rhubarb (Rheum) is a herbaceous perennial that is a member of the Buckwheat family. This plant is most common in nature in the United States and Europe, but it can also be found in Asia. Rhubarb has a rather complicated origin story. Mention of it was found in the writings of Pedanius Dioscorides, who lived in the 1st century AD. Such crops began to be brought to Europe from Asia through Persia in the 11th–12th centuries. After Marco Polo visited the Tangut kingdom, he said that the root of this plant was grown and harvested there in large quantities. Rhubarb root came to England in 1640; it was imported from China through India, which is why the British called it a Chinese, Cantonese or East Indian vegetable. This culture presumably came to the territory of modern Russia from the Crimean Peninsula.

Brief description of cultivation

1. Sowing . Sowing seeds in open soil is carried out in the first days of October or in February–March. And they are sown for seedlings in the first days of April, while the plants are planted in open soil in August or in the first days of September.
2. Illumination . Grows well in shaded and sunny places, as well as in areas with diffused light.
3. Soil . Suitable soil should drain water well and be moist, and it should also contain a large amount of humus. Optimal pH 4.5.
4. Watering . It is necessary to water abundantly and systematically. During the season, this procedure is carried out 3 or 4 times, while 3–4 buckets of water are consumed per 1 square meter.
5. Fertilizer . During the summer period, rhubarb needs to be fed 1 or 2 times; for this, organic matter or mineral fertilizer is used. Once every 4–5 years, 1–2 buckets of humus should be added to each bush. It is recommended to feed rhubarb with organic fertilizers in the autumn, and with mineral fertilizers in the spring.
6. Reproduction . By division of rhizomes and seed method.
7. Harmful insects . Heartworm caterpillars, onion nematodes and rhubarb weevil.
8. Diseases . Ramularia, ascochyta blight, powdery mildew and rust.
9. Properties . This plant contains biologically active substances, so it has healing properties.

How to plant rhubarb - rules for planting in spring and autumn

The plant can be grown and propagated in different ways. The timing of planting work also depends on them. Reproduction is carried out by rhizomes or seeds. If possible, it is better to choose the vegetative method. The seed method is considered more labor-intensive. In addition, it brings a harvest only after 2-3 years.

The timing of planting is influenced by the method of propagation of the crop:

• The rhizome can be planted in spring or autumn;
• seeds can be planted in open soil before winter as the top layer of soil dries or in spring - from April to June;
• Seeds for seedlings should be planted in March.

Note! If you follow the recommendations in the fall, you will be able to get a bush 20-30 cm in size from a seed. It will be able to successfully survive the winter.

It is permissible to plant bushes in spring or autumn

Features of rhubarb

The woody, branched rhizome of rhubarb is dark brown in color and reaches 40–60 mm in diameter; there are many small roots on its surface. The lifespan of the root of such a plant is 12 years or more. Thick, hollow, straight, slightly grooved stems are annual. Large basal leaf plates are solid, palmate-lobed or serrated, and they are often wavy along the edge. The foliage has long petioles, which are cylindrical or multifaceted, with wide flares at their base. The rosette leaf blades are much larger than the stem blades. The stem is weakly branched and erect, its height is about 250 cm. On the surface of the straight, tall peduncles there are many red spots; they end in paniculate inflorescences, which include bisexual small flowers of pale green, red, white or pink. If the flowers grow underdeveloped, they may be unisexual. Flowering is observed in the last days of May or the first days of June. The fruit is a brownish-red triangular nut, the length of which is from 70 to 100 mm. The root of this plant, as well as its leaf petioles, have medicinal properties.

Rhubarb: benefits, cultivation, use.

Rhubarb plant - description

Rhubarb has a dark brown branched woody rhizome with a diameter of 4-6 cm, overgrown with small roots. Rhubarb root lives for 12 years or more. Aboveground stems are straight, thick, hollow, slightly grooved, annual. The large basal leaves of rhubarb are entire, serrated or palmate-lobed, often wavy along the edge, located on long multifaceted or cylindrical petioles, equipped with wide bells at the base. The stem leaves are much smaller than the rosette leaves. The erect, weakly branched stem of rhubarb can reach a height of 2.5 m. Tall, straight, peduncles covered with red spots end in paniculate inflorescences consisting of small white, greenish, pink or red bisexual flowers, which, if underdeveloped, can be unisexual. Rhubarb blooms in late May or early June. The fruit of rhubarb is a triangular nut of a red-brown hue, 7-10 cm long. The petioles of leaves and the root of rhubarb are of medicinal value.

Sowing rhubarb for seedlings

When to plant rhubarb for seedlings

Rhubarb can be grown from seeds, but this process is quite labor-intensive, and the resulting plants will produce their first harvest only after several years. However, this method allows you to have a tasty and healthy vegetable on your table for many years. Seed material can be purchased in specialized agricultural stores, or you can also buy it in an online store, but it must be reliable and have a good reputation.

Seed preparation should be started four days before sowing day. To do this, they are filled with water at room temperature, where they will swell for 10 hours. Then they are immersed for 1 hour in a pink potassium manganese solution for disinfection. After this, the seed is transferred to a moistened cloth, and all that remains is to wait for the seeds to hatch.

Sowing of seedlings is carried out in the first days of April, for this they use pots reaching 10–12 centimeters in diameter. The seeds need to be buried 20–30 mm into the substrate. Before the seedlings appear, you need to ensure that the soil mixture in the containers is always a little damp.

Caring for rhubarb seedlings

The appearance of the first shoots is observed 15–20 days after sowing. As soon as this happens, the pots with plants should be immediately moved to a well-lit place. Growing rhubarb seedlings is quite simple; to do this, you need to water them in a timely manner, loosen the surface of the soil mixture, and also feed them regularly (once every 1.5 weeks).

Plants need to be cared for throughout the summer. They are transplanted into open soil only 90–100 days after sowing the seeds; as a rule, this time occurs in August or the first days of September. The fact is that the planted seedlings must have time to take root well before winter comes.

Rhubarb through seedlings. Sowing.

Rhubarb propagation methods

Many novice gardeners are interested in how to properly transplant rhubarb. The crop can be grown in different ways.

From seeds

To plant rhubarb, you need to use dry or sprouted seeds. They can be planted in spring or autumn. Planting material has a small mass. 1000 pieces weigh no more than 13-15 g. Therefore, only 8 g of seeds are required per 1 hundred square meters.

4 days before planting the seeds, it is recommended to soak them in water for 10 hours. After this, place on a damp cloth and wait for germination. To transplant rhubarb to another place in the spring, this should be done in March. If work is planned to be carried out in the fall, this is done in October. The depth of the backlog is 1-1.5 cm.

Note! A certain distance must be maintained between seedling bushes. Usually they are planted according to a 10x10 cm pattern.

It is recommended to water the bushes at intervals of 10 days. They should also be fed systematically.

Growing rhubarb from seeds in the garden

Planting rhubarb in the ground

Since rhubarb is distinguished by its frost resistance, its seeds can be sown immediately in open soil. But when is the best time to do this? Seed sowing is carried out at the beginning of the spring period (in March, or possibly in February). This can also be done before winter in mid-October. This crop is not only frost-resistant, but also unpretentious, so growing it on your own plot is quite simple.

For sowing, you can choose either a well-lit nook in the garden or a shaded place under the canopy of fruit trees. Suitable soil should be moist, drain well, contain a large amount of humus and have an acidity pH of 4.5. The preparation of the site should be done several months before sowing; for this purpose, it is dug up and humus is added to the soil (3 buckets per 1 square meter of site). In the same place, such a crop can be grown for 15 years or even longer.

Sowing rules

To begin with, the seed must be prepared and germinated; this is done in the same way as when sowing rhubarb for seedlings (see above). Then the seeds are densely laid out in pre-prepared grooves, the depth of which is 10–15 mm, the distance between them should be from 20 to 25 centimeters. Then the seeds are planted. If pre-winter sowing is carried out, the bed should be mulched with garden compost, leaf humus or other organic material, and the layer thickness should be about 10 mm. If sowing was carried out in the spring, then the bed will need to be mulched only after the seedlings appear. It is also necessary to mulch the bed immediately after transplanting the seedlings into open soil.

Whether with spring or winter sowing, the first shoots can be seen only in the spring, but it must be taken into account that the seed of such a plant has low germination. From the middle to the end of May, when 1 or 2 true leaf blades have formed on the plants, the plants will need to be planted, adhering to the 10x10 centimeters pattern.

Growing rhubarb

Planting rhubarb with rhizomes

Growing rhubarb from seeds is an interesting but lengthy process. With this propagation option, the gardener will be able to harvest from the bushes only after 2 years. It will be much faster to grow rhubarb using the vegetative method. To do this, it is enough to have an adult mother plant available. Newly planted bushes take root very quickly, and marketable petioles are produced a year earlier.

Preparing for transplant

Rhubarb is a crop that is considered demanding on soil fertility. The best results when growing plants can be obtained on cultivated soils, well-filled with nutrients, with sandy loam or loam in terms of their mechanical composition. The moisture requirement of rhubarb during the growing season is high, however, excessive waterlogging has a bad effect on the plants. Flooded areas and places with close groundwater are not suitable for it.

Rhubarb bushes can be planted in partial shade. They are not very demanding on light. At the same time, in sunny garden plots, plants grow and develop more intensively and produce early harvests.

The best predecessors of rhubarb are cucumbers, cabbage, and potatoes. You can plant it after beets, carrots, parsley, and celery. The exception is areas where sorrel previously grew.

The soil for rhubarb is prepared carefully. For every 1 m2 add 1-1.5 buckets of organic matter, compost, peat, humus. The use of fresh manure is also allowed. Acidic soils are preliminarily limed, heavy clays are loosened with sand or sawdust. In addition to organic matter, mineral fertilizers are also applied to rhubarb: urea, potassium chloride (30 g each) and superphosphate (60 g) for every 1 m2 of bed. The soil is dug deeply and leveled.

The beds are prepared at least 2-3 weeks before rhubarb is planted. When applying fertilizers directly into the holes, mineral compositions are replaced with ash.

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Rhizome division

You can replant the entire rhubarb or take only some of it for further propagation. The best candidates for mother plants are 4-5 year old bushes that grow the most green mass, have thick petioles and do not throw out flower stalks. They are looked after in advance and left for breeding.

Rhubarb is replanted by dividing the rhizomes in the fall (in September - October), when the leaves of the plants turn yellow, or in the spring (in April - May) before the buds begin to grow.

Carefully dig up the entire bush or free part of it from the ground. Use a sharp knife or shovel to cut off part of the root. It should have 1-3 growth buds and a good root system. From a whole adult bush, 5 to 10 seedlings are obtained. From the donor plant, which is left to grow in the same place, 1-2 rhizomes are separated.

Planting pattern and depth

Planting material is harvested and planted in one day. Medium-sized varieties of rhubarb are placed at least 50 cm apart. Between tall plants, maintain an interval of 70 to 100 cm.

When planting in the fall, the rhizome is buried so that the buds are 3 cm below the soil surface. Afterwards, the soil in the garden bed with rhubarb is compacted and mulched with peat to a height of up to 10 cm. This avoids deep freezing of the soil, which is why leaves grow faster with the onset of warm weather.

In spring, seedlings are placed both with and without burial. However, rhubarb must be watered. Plantings are also mulched, but in a small layer. They do this to conserve moisture in the soil.

Rhubarb care

Caring for rhubarb crops before the onset of autumn consists of systematic watering, timely removal of weeds, loosening the soil surface around the bushes, and they also need to be fed with complex mineral fertilizer once every 1.5 weeks. With the beginning of the autumn period, they stop watering and feeding rhubarb, and at this time they should start transplanting the seedlings to a permanent place, however, some gardeners prefer to grow them in a school for another 1 year. When transplanting seedlings to a permanent place, it should be remembered that the feeding area for one bush must be at least 1 square meter.

How to water

To keep the petioles large, the bushes need to be watered systematically and abundantly. Over the course of one season, such a crop is watered 3 or 4 times, while 3 to 4 buckets of water are consumed per 1 square meter of land. The less frequent and sparing the watering, the greater the amount of oxalic acid will be contained in the petioles.

After flower stalks form on the bush, they should be removed. The fact is that due to the growth of peduncles, foliage and petioles develop and grow much more slowly. When the rhubarb is watered, it is recommended to loosen the surface of the soil around it, and pull out all the weeds.

Feeding rhubarb

During one season, such a plant will need 1 or 2 feedings with liquid complex mineral or organic fertilizer, for example, you can use a mullein solution (0.5 liters of mullein per 1 bucket of water). In addition, once every 4 or 5 years, 10–20 liters of manure or humus must be added to each bush. In the spring, it is recommended to use mineral fertilizers to feed this crop, and in the autumn, organic matter is better suited for this.

Wintering

In the summer, the bush should be rejuvenated; to do this, you need to cut off all the foliage with cuttings, leaving only 2 or 3 leaf blades so that the rhubarb can feed normally. By autumn, foliage will grow on the bush again, and 1/3 of them can be cut off for food, and 2/3 of the leaf blades must be left on the plant, in which case it will be able to properly prepare for wintering. To protect rhubarb from freezing, it must be covered with dry soil or fallen leaves on top. With the onset of spring, the shelter is removed from the plant so that it can grow foliage.

Harvesting

The harvest period is influenced by the variety and growing area. Petioles that have reached 1.5 cm in diameter can be twisted. This is best done at the base of the bush. Then the sheet should be removed. Throughout the summer, petioles can be collected multiple times.

The plant can safely survive the winter due to the accumulated nutrients. To do this, you need to stop removing petioles 2 months before the end of the growing season.

Petioles with a diameter of 1.5 can begin to be collected

Rhubarb is considered a very healthy and tasty plant, which is used to prepare various dishes. In order for a culture to grow and develop normally, it needs to be provided with complete and high-quality care. It includes timely watering, fertilizing, loosening.

Pests and diseases of rhubarb with photos and names

Rhubarb diseases

More recently, experts believed that rhubarb is very resistant to all diseases and harmful insects, but it turned out that if such a crop is not cared for correctly, then it can also get sick. Most often this plant suffers from ascochyta blight, rust, ramularia and powdery mildew.

Ramulariasis

Ramularia is a fungal disease; specks of a brownish-red color with a dark red border appear on the surface of the foliage of the affected bush. Over time, the spots become larger, and they are observed to merge with each other, while their center gradually turns pale. During drought, cracking and shedding of tissue is observed inside the spots, while in wet weather a powdery coating of gray-silver or white color appears on their surface. The disease develops most actively when plantings are thickened, especially in humid and hot weather. For preventive purposes, in the autumn the area must be cleared of plant debris, then its surface must be sprayed with a solution of Bordeaux mixture (1%) or another product containing copper.

Powdery mildew

A loose, whitish coating forms on the foliage of a bush affected by powdery mildew; as the disease progresses, it thickens and changes its color to brown. The first signs of a plant being affected by this disease can be detected at the beginning of the summer. As a result, in those parts of the bush that are affected, there is a cessation of growth, blackening and death of the diseased parts, and the formation of ovaries does not occur on the inflorescences. Such rhubarb loses its resistance to frost. To get rid of this disease you need to use the same methods and drugs as in the fight against ramulariasis. The most effective in combating this disease are biofungicides such as: Gamair, Alirin-B, Planriz, etc.

Rust

If rhubarb is affected by a fungal disease such as rust, then pustules appear on the surface of its foliage; when they crack, rusty powder, which is fungal spores, spills out of them. In such a plant, metabolic processes are damaged, as well as a decrease in growth. After the affected foliage is pruned, the bush will need 2 or 3 treatments with Topaz with a break of 1.5 weeks.

Ascochyta blight

Due to ascochyta blight, large spots of ocher-brick color are formed on the foliage; their shape is irregular and elongated. In places where the spots are located, cracking, drying out and rash of tissues are observed. Sick bushes will need to be sprayed with a solution of Bordeaux mixture (1%).

Before you begin processing, you must take into account that rhubarb accumulates toxins and poisons in its foliage, shoots, petioles and root system, so it is not recommended to spray it with fungicides. You can replace chemicals in the fight against fungal diseases with mullein infusion. To prepare it, a bucket is filled one third full with fresh cow dung, then cold water is poured into it until it is full. The mixture will be ready after three days, but it must be stirred from time to time. The infusion, filtered through a thick cloth, must be mixed with water in a ratio of 1:10, in the evening after sunset the bush is sprayed with this composition.

Rhubarb pests

This plant can be damaged by onion nematodes, cutworm caterpillars, and rhubarb weevil.

Scoop eggs

Cutworms lay their eggs near the rhubarb, where the eggs overwinter. In spring, yellow or off-white caterpillars emerge from them, reaching 4.5 cm in length; they bite into the petioles and shoots and feed on the pulp of the plant. There is a gradual drying out of the damaged tissues, while the caterpillars move into still intact petioles. In order to clear the area of ​​such a harmful insect, it is necessary to remove the affected parts of the bush as soon as possible, and also clear the area of ​​weeds, because the cutworm prefers to lay its eggs near it.

Rhubarb weevil

The rhubarb weevil is a bug, about 0.6 cm long, on the surface of its elytra there is a layer of brown and grayish scales. Such pests eat rhubarb foliage, and they lay eggs in leaf petioles. The eggs hatch into legless, dirty yellow larvae that live on the foliage, eat it and pupate there. To scare away such a pest, you need to spray the bush with a solution of potassium manganese (5 grams per 1 bucket of water).

Onion nematodes

Onion nematodes, which are microscopic worms, live in the petioles, foliage and shoots of this plant. As a result of their vital activity, rhubarb tissues soften and swell, and this leads to the death of the bush. To date, there are no effective measures to combat such a pest; therefore, the affected plants must be dug up and destroyed as soon as possible, and nothing can be grown in the area where they grew for at least a couple of years.

An excellent mixture against pests and diseases of the garden and vegetable garden

Care

Every cultivated plant growing in the garden requires high-quality care. Rhubarb is no exception in this regard. Plants need irrigation, fertilizing, tillage; on mature plantings, timely removal of flower stalks is necessary. Only then will rhubarb produce a good harvest for many years and its cultivation will be profitable.

Loosening and weeding the soil

These procedures are necessary for rhubarb throughout the growing season. Weeding and loosening the soil help keep the plantings free of weeds and ensure the penetration of air and moisture to the roots of the plants. Young bushes planted from seeds or seedlings especially need such care. Loosening is carried out after each watering or rain, first superficially, so as not to harm the seedlings. As it grows and in beds with mature plants, row spacing can be treated deeper.

Watering and fertilizing

Proper irrigation is very important when growing rhubarb. Water the plants regularly, avoiding drying out and waterlogging of the soil. To retain moisture longer, use mulching.

Rhubarb planted with seeds is fed 2 times: a week after the formation of seedlings and another 3 weeks after final thinning. Mature plantings are fertilized first in the spring before the leaves grow. Then after the first harvest and again at the end of July. Organic matter in the form of humus or compost is added to the beds between the rows once every 3 years.

Rhubarb is fed with solutions of mullein, bird droppings, herbal infusions, and ash. When using mineral fertilizers, complex formulations are taken to which saltpeter is added. To increase green mass, plants need increased nitrogen nutrition. Top dressing is incorporated into the soil followed by watering the beds.

Pest Control

Rhubarb is a disease and pest resistant plant. In rare cases, plants may suffer from powdery mildew, ascochyta blight, and root rot. Among insects, buckwheat fleas and rhubarb bug can cause damage to plantings. In all cases, only plant treatments with chemicals are effective. Such activities are carried out only after the harvest has been harvested.

Types and varieties of rhubarb with photos and names

More than 20 species of rhubarb are found in natural conditions. In addition to species plants, today there are a large number of varieties and hybrids. Below we will describe those species that are most popular among gardeners.

Altai rhubarb (Rheum altaicum)

Or compact (Rheum compactum = Rheum orientale). The height of the bush varies from 0.3 to 1.2 m. The stem is hollow and thick, and the root is very thick. Rosette leaf blades have long petioles and an ovate-rounded or almost rounded shape; at the base they are deeply heart-shaped. The surface of such leaves can be flat or slightly wavy; they reach 0.6 m in diameter. There are few upper leaf plates, they are smaller in size compared to rosette leaves and, being short-petioled, grow on stems.

Tangut rhubarb (Rheum tanguticum)

The height of such a perennial plant is about 2.5 meters, and the diameter of its spreading crown is up to 1.5 meters. The crown consists of large, long-petioled leaf plates of a palmate-separate shape. The panicle-shaped inflorescences are about half a meter long and contain yellow-green flowers.

Common rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum), or wavy, or Siberian

This species, unlike others, has curly leaf blades. Young leaves are very wrinkled, but after full bloom they become wavy, as if decorated with ruffles along the edge. The foliage reaches 0.7 m in length and 0.5 m in width. This plant looks very impressive during flowering. Paniculate inflorescences are formed on peduncles about 1.5 m high and contain pale yellow flowers.

Wittrock's rhubarb (Rheum wittrockii)

Compared to other species, this bush is not very large. The shape of the leaf plates is ovate-triangular, their length is about 0.5 m, and their width is up to 0.4 m. The foliage, folded along the edge, has short petioles, the surface of which has pubescence. The spreading panicle-shaped inflorescence consists of flowers of pale pink or white color.

Rhubarb (Rheum palmatum)

The homeland of this species is the mountainous regions of Southern and Western China. This perennial plant has a large root and a ribbed bare stem of light red color, the height of which is about 200 cm. The basal rosette consists of very large five-seven-lobed leaf plates, at the base they are heart-shaped, and their diameter is about 0.8 m The alternately arranged stem leaf plates are practically sessile. During opening, the foliage is purple in color, then it changes to almost purple, but already in July the plates become dark green, only their underside remains pale red. The length of the paniculate inflorescences is about 0.5 m, they consist of flowers of pale pink, white-green or light red. This species has been cultivated since 1763. It has a very popular variety - Atrosanginium: the color of the petioles, foliage and shoots is purple.

Rhubarb (Rheum officinale)

The homeland of this species is Tibet. The height of this perennial plant is about 2.5 meters. Three-four-lobed very large leaf blades are green in color, their length is approximately 150 cm, while the petioles reach approximately 100 cm in length. The length of the peduncle is about 2 m, on it grows a large half-meter-long panicle consisting of small greenish flowers. In Europe, this species has been cultivated since 1871.

Rhubarb (Rheum nobile)

Under natural conditions, this species can be found at an altitude of about 4500 meters. The height of the bush is up to two meters. The rosette consists of large bare leaf plates, the shape of which is ovoid. Paniculate inflorescences of greenish-yellow color almost sit on a flat rosette.

In addition to these species, rhubarbs such as Maksimovich, ribez, Black Sea, Alexandra and Delaveya are also cultivated.

All varieties of garden rhubarb are divided according to ripening periods into early-ripening, mid-ripening and late-ripening. The most popular early ripening varieties are:

1. Altai dawns . The variety has a spreading rosette consisting of large leaf blades, their long red petioles have an excellent taste, and they weigh 80–120 grams.
2. Victoria . This is a series of early ripening varieties distinguished by their productivity. Compact rosettes can be large or medium in size; they include broadly ovate or ovoid leaf plates; greenish, slightly ribbed petioles have a red base; their length is 33–50 centimeters.
3. Large-petiolate . The variety is resistant to frost and diseases. The petioles are red up to the middle of their length, and they reach a length of 0.65–0.7 m, while their thickness is up to 30 mm. The sweet and sour pulp of the petioles is greenish in color and often has pink spots on it.
4. Stubborn . This bush has a tall and spreading rosette of leaves. The foliage has large greenish petioles, anthocyanin-colored at the base, their length is about 0.55 m, and they weigh up to 180 grams.
5. Moskovsky 42 . The variety is distinguished by its yield and resistance to stemming. Large, smooth, wavy leaf blades have long, slightly ribbed petioles, the flesh of which is greenish.
6. Robin . The spreading leaf rosette consists of plates growing on spectacular cherry-colored petioles, the length of which is about 0.45 m, their flesh is pink-green and has a sweet and sour taste.

The following varieties of medium ripening are the most popular among gardeners:

1. Obsky . This variety is distinguished by its frost resistance and moisture-loving nature. The rosette consists of slightly corrugated large green leaf plates, which reach about 1.2 m in diameter. Thick and long petioles at the base are dark pink, their delicate flesh has a sweet and sour taste.
2. Tukumsky 5 . Large dark green leaf plates are wavy along the edge, they grow on round petioles of a greenish color with crimson pigmentation, their length is up to 0.5 m.
3. Ogresky 13 . This productive variety is resistant to bolting. The height of the bush is about 0.8 m, its compact rosette consists of large leaf plates of a dark green color. The slightly ribbed petioles at the base are dark red, their length is about 0.7 m, and in diameter they reach about 40 mm, some of them can weigh about 0.35 kg. The taste of the pulp of the petioles is very high.
4. Candied . Wide large petioles weigh about 200 grams, their very tasty pulp is light pink in color.
5. Cyclone . The variety is distinguished by the fact that it quickly grows medium-sized leaf blades, which have large green petioles and medium thickness, and their pulp is tasty, sweet and sour.

The most popular are the following late varieties:

1. Gigantic . The variety is resistant to diseases. Very tasty fragile long petioles are painted dark red.
2. Goliath series . This is a productive variety for canning purposes. The bush is tall, large and spreading. The bubbly wide leaf blades have a wavy edge. The green, grooved petioles may sometimes be mottled at the base. The pulp of the petioles is dense and green.
3. Red petiole late . The height of the compact bush is average. The leaf blades are wavy along the edge, have half-meter-long petioles of deep red or dark red color, their thickness is about 30 mm, their flesh is red-pink or red.

Rhubarb diseases

Rhubarb is resistant to pathogens, but is not completely protected from them. The source of the disease can be viral pathogens, which can only be dealt with at the stage of early detection. However, the most common fungus is:

• Gray rot is a fungal disease in the form of a grayish fluff that primarily affects young leaves. Develops in conditions of excess moisture. If detected, the affected parts of the plant are removed and destroyed, the remaining parts are treated with 1% Bordeaux mixture;

  A measure to prevent gray rot is humidity control.

• Downy mildew is a fungal disease that affects the petioles and leaf blades. Appears as brown spots with a purple or white tint on the back of the leaf. The source of the spread of the fungus is soil and vegetation residues. To prevent disease, the area before sowing must be well cleared of vegetation and treated with a manganese solution. The methods of combating are the same as with gray rot;

  The disease can cover the entire leaf

• Cercospora blight is a fungal disease that manifests itself as brown spots on leaves and petioles with a characteristic velvety coating on the spots. Develops in conditions of excessive humidity. The methods of struggle are the same as described above;

  Affected leaves should be destroyed

• Ramulariasis is caused by a fungus from plant debris or soil. It appears as white spots with a red border, which can merge with each other. Control and prevention measures are the same.

  The soil should be well treated with fungicide before planting.

Rhubarb pests

Rhubarb has fewer pests than diseases. Among them are known:

• Aphids - form numerous colonies on rhubarb that feed on the sap of the plant. They collect on the back side of the leaf, which is why they are discovered late, only when the leaf becomes coarser and turns yellow. To combat, you can use a solution of wood ash and laundry soap or garlic and laundry soap;

  Rhubarb should not be treated with aggressive chemicals, since its petioles are regularly eaten

• The rhubarb weevil is an enemy of all buckwheat plants, which feeds on leaf blades and lays eggs in the petioles. They repel the weevil with an infusion of mustard and tobacco, and treat it with a solution of potassium permanganate;

  Weevil larvae eat the petioles from the inside

• Cabbage and potato cutworm - its larvae penetrate inside the petioles and feed on the pulp. To get rid of them, you need to remove all the affected leaves of the rosette and the weeds around it. The pest can be repelled with an infusion of wormwood and tomato tops.

  Armyworm larvae are more dangerous than adult moths

• The buckwheat flea is a small jumping bug with a dark shell that has a golden hue. The bugs gnaw out the pulp of the leaf, where peculiar ulcers are formed. Overwinters in the soil under plant debris. They are repelled in early spring with tobacco dust and hot pepper.

  Tobacco dust and pepper are sprinkled on the soil around the outlet where the bug overwinters.

Properties of rhubarb: harm and benefit

Useful properties of rhubarb

For food, rhubarb petioles and its young leaf blades are used, which have a sour, slightly refreshing taste, as they contain malic and citric acid. The petioles also contain carbohydrates, vitamins C, PP, group B, fiber, pectins, carotene, magnesium salts, calcium, potassium and phosphorus.

Eating this plant has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the kidneys and intestines. It is recommended to eat it when there is low acidity, and it has also proven effective in treating wounds, colds, runny nose, purulent formations, burns and sinusitis. It contains biologically active substances that help strengthen myocardial muscles, significantly reduce the risk of stroke, prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases and cure heart failure.

The fact that rhubarb has healing properties has been known for a long time. Preparations made from the rhizome of such a plant have powerful healing properties; for example, in small doses they have an astringent effect, and in large doses they act on the body as a laxative. Doctors recommend using such drugs for people suffering from gas accumulation, constipation or intestinal atony. But if you have hemorrhoids, such remedies cannot be used. In small doses, this remedy is used as a choleretic agent (at a dosage of 0.1–0.5 grams) or as an antidiarrheal agent (0.2–0.8 grams). This drug is also prescribed in small doses as a general tonic for anemia or tuberculosis. You can also strengthen the body by drinking ½ glass of the juice of such a plant three times a day. This plant is also used externally, it helps get rid of white spots on the skin caused by vitiligo. Laxatives and rhubarb teas are widely used in alternative medicine. It is also used as a powder, syrup, infusion, decoction or tincture in alcohol or wine. At the pharmacy, if you wish, you can buy such a plant in the form of tablets, alcohol tincture, powder or extract.

Rhubarb - edible burdock

What is rhubarb?

Rhubarb is a perennial herbaceous plant of the buckwheat family. It is found in the wild from Siberia to the Himalayas, and as a cultivated plant it is grown in most of our country and in Europe.

Perennial rhizomes of rhubarb are powerful and short, but at the same time quite branched. Radical reddish petioles with large wavy leaves collected in a rosette die off in the winter. Flowering occurs on stems emerging from the center of the rosette. Large paniculate inflorescences of white, greenish, or less often pink, form seeds by autumn. To extend the growing season, flowering shoots are broken off. To obtain seeds, leave no more than one peduncle per bush.

Pink rhubarb inflorescences add decorativeness to the bush

Use of the plant

Young rhubarb petioles that appear in early spring are used for food. A large amount of vitamins and microelements of this plant compensates for the deficiency of nutrients in the spring diet. The stems are used to prepare vegetable and fruit salads, soups, juices, compotes, jelly and pie fillings. Eating rhubarb for some diseases has a healing effect. It is recommended for constipation, anemia, bile stasis and impaired metabolism. The roots of the plant are also used for medicinal purposes. However, it must be remembered that the use of this plant in large quantities may be contraindicated for children, pregnant women and people suffering from gastritis with high acidity and peptic ulcers. If you have kidney and gallstones, various bleeding, rheumatism, or diabetes, it is better to avoid eating rhubarb.

For cooking, cut petioles are finely chopped with a knife.

Botanical description

Rhubarb (Rheum rhaponticum) is a perennial vegetable and medicinal plant from the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae). The natural range is Asian countries and Eastern Siberia. Initially, it was grown only for decorative purposes. Later they began to eat it.

The name "Rheum" comes from a Greek word that translates to "flowing". This is due to the fact that when it rains, water quickly drains from the leaves.

Rhubarb has a branched woody root that goes deep into the soil. The aboveground part is annual. The leaves are large, heart-shaped. Attached to fleshy petioles that grow up to 70 cm and are the edible part. The size of the plant ranges from 1 to 1.5 m depending on the variety and region of cultivation.

The culture has small, inconspicuous flowers, which are collected in bunches of 5-6 pieces. They are white, pink, greenish or red. This is a cross-pollinated plant. The flowering period occurs in late spring - early summer. In autumn the fruits ripen - triangular pale brown nuts.

The plant is characterized by winter hardiness. Most varieties are not afraid of cold temperatures down to -35 °C and recurrent frosts.

Composition and nutritional value

Rhubarb greens are rich in:

• vitamins A, B, C, K, P;
• pectins;
• routine;
• malic and citric acids;
• minerals - copper, magnesium, phosphorus, iron;
• dietary fiber.

Old petioles are not eaten because the concentration of oxalic acid increases in them. In large quantities, it provokes the development of urolithiasis and nephrolithiasis.

Calorie content – ​​about 16 kcal. The majority is water – more than 90%. Carbohydrates account for 2.5%, proteins – 0.7%, fats – 0.1%.

Combining rhubarb with other plants

Rhubarb grows well next to salads, representatives of cruciferous vegetables (cabbage), and does not mind being adjacent to spinach and beans. It is oppressed by fruit and vegetable crops placed next to it. For example, he is unfriendly to representatives of the nightshade family, radishes, onions, legumes, carrots and a number of other plants living in the beds.

It is advisable to plant bushes separately. And since the petiole culture loves partial shade, it will fit perfectly next to the fence, cover an area near outbuildings, or be placed in a corner in a shaded corner of the garden.

Brief characteristics of rhubarb

Rhubarb is a herbaceous plant belonging to the Buckwheat family. It has huge leaves with long succulent petioles and a powerful root system consisting of thick and branched roots. It is believed that rhubarb came to us from Asia, but in its wild form it can be found in Siberia, the Caucasus, and the Far East.

Wild rhubarb, which grows on mountain slopes and forest edges, is the ancestor of most cultural forms

The petioles and leaves of wild rhubarb contain a lot of oxalic acid, which can be consumed in small quantities. And cultivated plants are rich in healthy malic acid.

Rhubarb tolerates winter frosts well, and in most regions of our country it can winter without shelter. With the onset of warmth, the plant quickly grows a rosette of leaves, and already at the beginning of summer it has flower shoots.

This culture prefers to grow in sunny or partial shade; loves moisture-permeable, nutritious soils with a high humus content. In favorable conditions, the bushes grow quickly and form large colonies. However, over time, the leaves and petioles become smaller, and the quantity and quality of the harvest deteriorates. Therefore, thickened rhubarb plantings need to be divided and replanted from time to time.

If rhubarb grows in one place for many years, it forms a large colony

Overview of varieties

The varieties presented in the table are included in the State Register.

Other varieties are also common in Russian gardens:

• Red Crimson;
• Moskovsky 42;
• Royal Albert;
• MacDonald;
• Champagne;
• Canadian Red;
• Tukumsky 5;
• Paragon;
• Monarch;
• Cyclone;
• Bowls Crimson;
• Cherry;
• Ogresky 13;
• Ruby Valentine.

All types of plants are divided into:

• decorative – used for decoration;
• cultivated - eaten.

In the conditions of central Russia, zoned varieties feel better: Altai Zori, Malachite, Krupnochereshkovy. They can withstand frost and do not require shelter for the winter.

Rhubarb varieties for garden cultivation

All varieties of rhubarb differ in their early maturity. Therefore, in order to receive a healthy product all year round, you can plant several in the garden at once. Also, the varieties differ in taste - some are sweeter, others are sour. Let's look at some of the most successful ones for gardening in open ground.

“Tangut rhubarb” is a plant known several centuries ago. It is its rhizome that is actively used in Chinese folk medicine. The inflorescences are eaten as they are believed to help treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas. It is also grown as an ornamental plant, as it is large.

"Victoria" is a tasty early ripening variety. It is distinguished by its high yield and petioles of average length - up to 60 cm. Unlike many other varieties, it is used both in the preparation of soups and as an ingredient in compotes and jam. All thanks to the excellent taste. There may be difficulties when growing rhubarb during abundant flowering.

“Robin” - the variety ripens approximately 30-35 days after the appearance of spring shoots. The petioles reach a height of 40 to 50 cm. Unlike the Victoria variety, it blooms sparingly or does not bloom at all.

“Large-petioled rhubarb” is a desirable variety for all culture lovers. The plant has an early ripening period and high yield. The perennial easily tolerates severe frosts, but is extremely demanding on the composition of the soil. The taste of the variety is sweet with a piquant sourness.

“Stubborn” - ripens in 40-45 days, after spring shoots with proper care. The cuttings reach 55-60 cm - tasty and juicy with sourness.

Look at the photo of some varieties for open ground - their sizes are sometimes impressive:

Growing rhubarb: beneficial properties, planting and care, propagation by seeds and root division

Rhubarb is a sweet, perennial medicinal plant whose young petioles have a wonderful, subtle sour taste. The agricultural technology for growing rhubarb is simple, so even novice summer residents and gardeners can easily get an excellent harvest on their plot.

The content of the article:

Useful properties of rhubarb Choosing a place to plant rhubarb Common varieties of rhubarb Methods of propagating rhubarb Growing rhubarb from seeds Propagating rhubarb by dividing the root How to plant rhubarb Proper care of rhubarb Caring for rhubarb in spring

Diseases and pests

The perennial plant is highly resistant to diseases and pests. However, sometimes rhubarb can be affected by powdery mildew, root rot or ascochyta blight, and among insects, the rhubarb bug and buckwheat fleas are especially dangerous for the crop.

The best way to prevent diseases is to follow all the rules for growing rhubarb. To prevent diseases and eliminate insects, it is recommended to treat the plant with fungicides and insecticidal preparations once a season. But this should be done only after harvesting, so that the rhubarb petioles do not absorb toxic substances.

Main varieties and varieties

Up to 50 varieties of rhubarb are known, most of which grow in their homeland - Asia. Most vegetable growers are in favor of receiving produce in early spring, when there is a shortage of greens and vitamins. But even in the fall, the juicy petioles will come in handy for preparing homemade preparations. Based on this, the variety is selected. Most often grown:

1. Altai dawns (early ripening) form a spreading rosette of leaves that sit on reddish petioles weighing 80-120 g. It has an excellent sweet-sour taste. Harvesting takes place 30 days after the plant begins to grow.
2. Large-petiolate (early ripening) has high productivity and low susceptibility to disease. Tolerates low temperatures well. The petioles are characterized by tender and sweet pulp with a slight sourness.
3. Victoria (early ripening) is a high-yielding variety in which petioles quickly grow, reaching a weight of 200-250 g. At first they are red, but over time they become green. It forms flower stalks early and must be cut out immediately.
4. Obsky (mid-season) forms a large rosette of slightly corrugated leaves with pink petioles. They have a delicate sweet and sour taste. The cold-resistant variety tolerates excess moisture, but does not tolerate drought.
5. Ogre-13 (mid-season) forms a compact leaf rosette with dark green foliage. The slightly ribbed petioles are red in color and some specimens grow to a weight of 300-350 g. The variety is resistant to bolting and produces few flower stalks.
6. Gigantic (late-ripening) has an impressive appearance. Rhubarb with dark red petioles is large in size. The popularity of the variety is noted due to the late harvest and excellent taste.

In order to collect succulent petioles during the summer, you need to plant several varieties on the site, which have different ripening periods.

Growing and care

Rhubarb is classified as an unpretentious, light-demanding and cold-resistant plant. But for a bountiful and tasty harvest, certain growing conditions are needed:

• loosening the soil between rows,
• timely weeding,
• feeding with fertilizers,
• abundant watering,
• removing the arrows of inflorescences,
• if necessary, control of diseases and pests.

The plant tolerates shade well, but grows better in open, sunny areas and has a more decorative appearance of the leaves and a delicate taste of the petioles. This crop requires especially good lighting when growing seedlings from seeds.

Rhubarb grows best in open, sunny areas

At low humidity and high temperature, the quality of the petioles is significantly reduced.

Planting methods

Rhubarb is planted with seedlings or by sowing seeds directly into the ground. The planting site is prepared in advance: the area is dug up and humus is added at the rate of 10 kg/m2. The soil should be fairly moist and aerated; on heavy soils, add sand. They also take into account the fact that rhubarb can grow in one place for more than 10 years, while growing strongly, so an adult plant requires an area of ​​at least 1 m2.

Sowing seeds in open ground

The seeds of the plant can be sown directly in open ground. Since they are not afraid of frost, this can be done in late autumn (early to mid-November).

1. The seeds are placed in shallow grooves to a depth of 1.5 cm and at a distance of 20–25 cm from each other.
2. In the frozen soil they will undergo a process of natural stratification and will sprout in April.
3. In the fall, the grown plants are transplanted to the right place.

You can immediately sow the seeds in a permanent place so as not to replant the seedlings, while the planting depth is increased to 3 cm, and the distance between the seedlings is immediately 70–100 cm.

This is what seedlings from pre-winter sowing seeds look like ready for autumn planting

Growing seedlings

Spring sowing of seedlings is carried out at the end of February or beginning of March.

1. Seeds are soaked for 2 days in water or a growth regulator to improve germination, after stratifying them in the refrigerator for 2 months.
2. After the seeds swell and sprouts about 2 cm long appear, they are dried and planted in prepared moist soil with a distance between rows of 20–25 cm.
3. After the leaves appear, the seedlings are thinned out.
4. In May, when the seedlings reach a height of 30 cm, have 3–4 formed leaves and the lower part of the petioles are red in color, they are planted in a permanent place according to the 1 × 1 m pattern.
5. If planting is late, overdeveloped and overly large leaves must be removed.

By the end of May, rhubarb seedlings reach a height of 30 cm, have 3–4 formed leaves and a red color on the lower part of the petioles

Sowing by seeds has some disadvantages: rhubarb seeds do not germinate well, and species and varietal properties may not be transferred to the plant. Therefore, rhubarb is most often propagated by dividing the rhizomes.

Propagation of rhubarb by division of rhizomes

The rhizome of a 4–5-year-old bush is divided into several parts so that each part has 3–4 buds, and planted in such a way that the apical bud (the bud of a new shoot) remains at the level of the ground surface after the soil settles.

For division, take a rhubarb bush no older than five years old

The soil around the plot is compacted. When soil moisture is low, when planting rhubarb, water at the root (2 liters per division). This method allows you to preserve the variety and quickly get a harvest. The divisions take root much better than seedlings.

Watering

Rhubarb is a moisture-loving plant that requires soil moisture capacity of at least 80%. This fact is easy to explain: the huge rhubarb leaves have a large evaporating surface, and the rhizome is located close to the soil surface.

The more often the plant is watered, the larger, juicier and more tender its petioles will be. Of course, first of all, the frequency of watering depends on weather conditions. In dry times, rhubarb should be watered at least 2 times a week. At the beginning of the growing season and during harvest, watering should be increased to 3-4 times a week, using 10 liters of water per 1 m2.

In order for the leaves to grow quickly, the flower shoots on rhubarb are cut off. After each watering, lightly loosen the soil and remove weeds.

At the beginning of the season, young rhubarb plants especially need watering.

Top dressing

Rhubarb loves fertile soils, so it grows well in humus, loamy and cultivated clay soils rich in nutrients.

Annual feeding is a prerequisite for plant care:

1. Organic fertilizers, as a rule, are applied in the fall in the form of rotted manure, humus, and plant residues at the rate of 1–2 buckets per 1 m2.
2. In the spring, the soil is filled with “mineral water”: 30 g of urea and potassium sulfate, 60 g of superphosphate are added per 1 m2 of land.
3. Fertilizers are carefully distributed around the root zone or sown seeds.
4. To accelerate the flow of fertilizer into the soil, watering is carried out.

There are often recommendations to use complex mineral fertilizers after each collection of petioles. But it’s still better to take care of the further condition of the soil and fertilize it with plant infusions: for example, infusion of nettle or mullein.

Nettle infusion is used as a fertilizer for rhubarb

Mulching the soil

The first mulching of rhubarb is carried out immediately after planting seedlings or cuttings in the ground, as soon as they take root well. To do this, the soil around the plants is moistened, loosened and mulching material is spread over the surface. In this case, the rhubarb leaf rosette is left open.

When mulching rhubarb, the leaf rosette is left open

Plant residues and fallen leaves are used as mulch. Thanks to mulching, the soil remains moist and retains heat. In addition, the growth of weeds around the rhubarb is suppressed.

The second mulching is done in the fall after the leaves die. Now, on the contrary, a well-covered and covered rosette will be the key to a successful wintering of the plant. Experienced gardeners recommend fencing rhubarb plantings with a low wire mesh (25–30 cm) and completely covering them with fallen leaves, compacting them well. Another advantage of this method of mulching is that in the spring leaf humus will serve as a good organic fertilizer.

In the same way, mulching is carried out every year in spring and late autumn.

Straw taken as mulch mineralizes over time, increasing the microbiological activity of the soil, which leads to a decrease in its nitrogen content. This type of mulching material is not suitable for rhubarb!

Harvesting rules

The harvest can be harvested in the second year of growth in May-June with a petiole length of 20-25 cm. The first, earliest harvests are the most valuable because they contain the greatest amount of useful substances. During the season, succulent stems are harvested several times until the beginning of August.

The petioles are not cut off, but carefully broken off so as not to damage the growth shoots. To do this, scroll the petiole several times and pull it down with a jerk, otherwise the rhizome will suffer. When harvested, the main rosette of leaves is left on the plant. This way the bush will not weaken or become depleted.

Only fresh rhubarb shoots are useful, and mature ones have a high concentration of oxalic acid, which is not beneficial for the body. Leaves and roots are not eaten.

While southerners have a lot of vitamin crops that produce food early in the spring, Siberians have little choice. Rhubarb petioles are a great help for spring vitamin deficiencies; they can be used to cook soups and add to salads and compotes. And if there is room for a couple of bushes on the site, then early vitamin production will not take long to arrive.

How to care

Care features include weeding, loosening, removing flower stalks and watering. The soil under the bushes is mulched with peat, compost or humus to reduce moisture evaporation and prevent the appearance of weeds.

What should you fertilize with?

Fertilizing is carried out twice per season:

• in the spring - add humus, urea, superphosphate;
• in autumn - complex mineral fertilizer.

It is important not to overfeed the plant, otherwise in the summer it will begin to actively bloom.

Watering

The culture requires systematic and abundant watering. With a lack of moisture, the petioles become thinner and acquire a bitter taste. However, water stagnation should not be allowed - there is a high risk of rotting of the root system.

Diseases and pests

Of the diseases that cause the greatest harm:

• downy mildew - leaves turn pale and curl, a grayish coating appears on the reverse side;
• bacteriosis - affects the aboveground and then the underground part of the plant. The leaf blades turn yellow, dark veins appear;
• rust - appears mainly at the end of the season. A rusty coating forms on the leaves - fungal spores. Because of this, plants stop growing and, in worst cases, die.

To avoid such diseases, they fight weeds, remove and destroy plant debris, and treat seeds before sowing. After collecting the petioles, the plants are sprayed with 1% Bordeaux mixture every 7 days.

Rhubarb suffers from pests such as:

• Heart owl caterpillars eat the petioles from the inside. Damaged fragments are cut out and destroyed;
• rhubarb weevil - small bugs up to 6 mm long. The danger comes from the larvae that hatch in early spring;
• rhubarb bug – feeds on cell sap. It is easily recognized by its bright diamond-shaped abdomen.

To control pests, crops are treated with insecticides, but act carefully. The petioles quickly absorb harmful substances.