It might only be 6 degrees outside, according to my phone, but after doing a bit in the garden it feels very pleasant sitting on my patio. In fact, whilst working I felt the need to remove my coat. When was the last time that happened?
Anyway, onto what I was doing…. Fertilising the rhubarb no less!
Recently, I collected twigs from around the garden and along with prunings from the roses, I made the base for a hugel bed. This was topped with straw, manure and compost, which I hope will feed my favourite perennial. My dad gets the most amazing sticks of rhubarb – has put a lot of goodness into his soil – and it would be fantastic if mine could produce something even halfway similar.
Last year, I got car bootfuls of the stuff, because it grew in abundance at the allotment I then had. Remembering this and how busy I was there gives me a twinge of sadness that I don’t have the plot anymore. It was a mild winter but in any case with so much ground clearance to do, there was none of this year’s waiting for the true gardening season to begin again.
Still, if I want to make the best of my garden, it is good I have moved on. So, let’s see how this rhubarb fares with lots of food wrapped round it!
Growing out of chaos 
That soil looks so rich. Here’s to an abundant rhubarb harvest! AoF x
Ah, my soil! I guess it does look good but it needs lots of organic matter to get it up to speed, hence the hugel bed round the rhubarb.
The idea is that the twigs will gradually decompose under the manure etc and nitrogen will be released slowly, thus not overloading the plant it is supposed to be fertilising.
Anyway, thank you for hoping I have an abundant rhubarb harvest 🙂
I hope you’re as successful as your dad. It looks like you’ve learned a lot. How do you prepare your rhubarb?
Generally, I stew it. Last year, I had enough to make jam but so far that’s as much as I’ve made myself. I love rhubarb crumble (basically, stewed rhubarb with a topping made of crumbed batter).
Just realised it won’t be long till the first forced rhubarb is ready and there is a pub near me which does the crumble 🙂
I am trying my hand at rhubarb this year. Can I expect a crop the first year? What do you make with it? I want to try pie and preserves.
I am backwards by design. What do you do with stewed rhubarb? Crumble sounds like something my kids would love.
I mostly have it stewed with custard or yoghurt. If you know already you like rhubarb, though, you can eat it steamed as a side dish or in curry, for example. It is a versatile vegetable….
Awesome.
Pie and preserves sound excellent ways to use rhubarb. I’m not sure you should be using rhubarb – or more than a couple of sticks – for the next couple of years, as the plant needs time to build its strength. The plant should definitely produce sticks this year, though. Good luck 🙂
Thanks for the tip.
You’re welcome!