How to grow rhubarb in a garden bed and get a rich harvest. How to grow rhubarb from seeds at home

How to grow rhubarb in a garden bed and get a rich harvest.  How to grow rhubarb from seeds at home
How to grow rhubarb in a garden bed and get a rich harvest. How to grow rhubarb from seeds at home

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​Seeds are sown in open ground in 2 rows with a distance of 30 cm between them. Immediately after sowing the seeds, you need to mulch the soil with peat or humus. When 20 days have passed since the emergence of seedlings, the seedlings need to be transplanted. Then slurry is introduced into the soil. After the rain passes, the soil is loosened. When weeds appear, they are removed immediately.​

​By autumn, the seedlings grow up to 30 cm, with one meter of seedlings producing up to 20 pieces planting material. In early spring, bushes that have overwintered before the active period, until the deciduous part has developed, are dug up. Roots or their parts with active buds are planted in holes, the soil is compacted so that it covers the apical bud by 1-2 cm. In waterlogged lowlands with a weak humus layer of rhubarb, it is recommended to plant rhubarb seedlings on ridges. If the soil is too dry, watering is required when planting.​

​Admission is contraindicated for pregnant women, as well as for acute peritonitis, cholecystitis, bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract and acute appendicitis.​

Preparing soil and rhubarb seeds for growing

The root contains two main groups of biological substances. The first of them is tannoglycosides. Tannins that have antiseptic, antidiarrheal, astringent properties. The second group is atroglycosides - substances that can enhance intestinal motility.

​In the fall, organic and mineral fertilizers are applied to the site and the soil is dug to a depth of 40 cm. In the spring, furrows are made 35 cm deep and 40 cm wide, at the bottom of which a 20 cm layer of manure is placed, and on top - 15 cm of humus.​

- loamy, moisture-absorbing soils.

​Latin name​

The stem petioles are torn off (not cut!) in the second year after planting. In young plants, it is not advisable to cut off more than 3 stems at once, because the remaining stump will rot. It is also important not to break the apical bud.​

​Planting a crop and caring for rhubarb does not require a significant investment of time from the gardener. And the plant is unpretentious: it is frost-resistant, does not require a lot of light.​

Growing and care (agricultural technology)

Sprouted rhubarb seeds are planted in moist soil to a depth of 2-3 cm.

​Rhubarb - perennial buckwheat family. It is used in cooking and folk medicine.​ Rhubarb contains many useful substances, such as ascorbic acid, sugars, various organic acids, pectin and rutin. In the root of the plant there are groups of biologically active substances that have astringent, antiseptic and action. Rhubarb enhances intestinal motility. The plant has diuretic, laxative and choleretic properties.​

​To independently collect seeds from perennial plants, leave a couple of strong peduncles.​

​If consumed, there may be side effects: tenesmus, diarrhea, colic, vomiting, increased blood flow to the pelvic organs.​

The root is a good choleretic and laxative. In the fall, you can prepare a tonic that will help with anemia and tuberculosis. The rhizome needs to be washed, peeled, and cut into small pieces. Then dry. The dried pieces can be brewed as tea.​

Planting is carried out in early spring, when the buds have not yet begun to grow. The row between plants is given 50 cm. The plants are sprinkled with a 7 cm layer of soil on top, and in the fall the layer is increased by another 10 cm. Plant care consists of loosening, weeding and fertilizing. In late autumn, plants are cut to a height of 15 cm and mulched when the soil freezes. organic materials.​

​Landing​

VseoTeplicah.ru

Rhubarb - planting and care

​- Rheum palmatum L.​

​Rhubarb cuttings have beneficial properties if they are picked in spring or early summer. Hardened stems accumulate oxalic acid, which is harmful to the human body because it causes calcium precipitation.​

Rhubarb is bred in two ways:

How to grow rhubarb?

​Caring for the plant includes timely weeding, loosening the rows, removing flower shoots and watering.​

  • ​Rhubarb - first garden plant, germinating after winter, capable of fully replacing berries and fruits in early spring. Planting and growing rhubarb does not cause much trouble, but it brings very great benefits.​
  • ​Rhubarb is used as a remedy that constricts blood vessels, has an anti-inflammatory effect and improves the functioning of the entire body. Rhubarb is used for constipation, various diseases, soft stools and painful menstruation.​

​Rhubarb is undemanding to light, but it does require high humidity soil. With its deficiency, the leaf part develops poorly, the quality of the stems decreases - they become coarse and low-juiced. You need to select loamy soils that are moisture-absorbing and rich in organic matter.​

If you use the plant as a laxative, then eat its raw leaves. But the quantity should not be more than 100g.​

Harvesting begins in the third year after planting. To obtain long bleached shoots, plants are hilled up in the spring to a height of 25 cm, and the surface is lightly compacted. When the shoots pass through the loose layer of soil and begin to lift the crust, they are broken out at the base.

Growing and caring for rhubarb

- by seeds and vegetatively.

​Family​

When to pick rhubarb?

Rhubarb ramulariasis. Small red spots appear on the petioles of the plant, and sometimes on the leaves. Brown, the middle of the spot gradually fades. Then the spots merge and the leaves dry out. The infection persists in the soil for a long time. In order to destroy the disease, rhubarb is sprayed with Bordeaux mixture in the fall.

​dividing the rhizome;

Diseases and pests of rhubarb

When harvesting green shoots, hilling is not carried out; they are cut at a height of 20 cm. The harvesting period lasts 8 weeks. From a plant you can get 12 shoots weighing 60 g each.​

womanadvice.ru

Rhubarb plant: cultivation and beneficial properties

​Rhubarb plant -​- Buckwheat.

Ascochyta blight of rhubarb. Large brick-colored spots appear on the leaves. The leaves dry out and the plant tissues crack. The infection remains on plant debris. To combat aschytosis, Bordeaux mixture is also used with seedlings grown from seeds.

​The next year after planting, rhubarb begins to develop flowering shoots that should be removed. This is done so that flowering shoots do not draw nutrients from the plant. Rhubarb is a cold-resistant and drought-resistant crop. It can grow in one place for up to 10-15 years, provided that the soil is sufficiently fertile. Loves moisture-absorbing, loamy soil, but close groundwater can't stand it. Feels good under the canopy of fruit trees. It is an excellent honey plant, attracting pollinating insects to the garden, thereby benefiting all plantings. Preferred precursors for it may be perennial herbs, the best are onions, radishes, lettuce, undesirable - sorrel.​

​Rhubarb is used mainly for preparing laxatives and teas. Rhubarb root helps with inflammation of the stomach or intestines. In folk medicine, rhubarb root and rhizomes are used for laxative and choleretic effects. Rhubarb is recommended for rectal fissures, jaundice and hemorrhoids. Rhubarb is used in the form of infusions, powder, syrup, decoction, tinctures prepared with alcohol or wine.​ ​Rhubarb - moisture-loving plant and requires watering up to twice a week.​

​Mainly varieties of foreign origin are cultivated (for example, Arzhantelskaya).​ This is a large perennial herb. China is considered its homeland. An excellent honey plant that can attract beneficial insects. Cold-resistant. Cultivated in northern regions. Many are prepared from it delicious dishes. It is a medicinal plant.​

​Predecessors​ Rhubarb weevil. A small brown or gray bug, 0.5 cm long. In spring, it devours rhubarb leaves. For pest control purposes

​How to plant rhubarb by dividing the rhizomes?​ In the fall, before the leaves die out, underdeveloped plants with thin and short petioles are removed. Before the first frost, the vegetative part is cut off.

The soil is dug up in the fall to a depth of 30-40 cm, adding per 1 square meter. m 8-10 kg of organic fertilizers, for example, manure, compost, humus, peat compost. In the spring, furrows are made 35 cm deep and 40 cm wide and, this time, mineral fertilizers are applied. The plant is used for pulmonary tuberculosis, anemia and sclerosis. Powder from the root of the plant, which is mixed with vinegar, is used for vitiligo and skin diseases. Rhubarb is used internally to increase appetite.​

Harvesting can only be done in the second year after planting. Special forcing and blanching of the stems under a hood makes it possible to obtain the earliest, most tender and tasty stems. When harvesting, you need to select medium-thick stems in an amount of no more than half of all stems at a time. The petioles should be separated directly from the base of the plant. For better storage Part of the leaf plate is left above them.

Rhubarb root and leaves in the photo

​Rhubarb can grow in one place for many years and produces consistently good yields. Therefore, they are presented to the ground increased requirements. It should be fertile with a thick layer of humus, good permeability and the absence of groundwater. Acidic soils lime. Organic matter, as well as lime, is added in the fall, digging the area deeply. After the leaves fall, it is recommended to mulch the rhubarb with organic materials. Mulch retains moisture and warmth in the soil and limits the growth of weeds. The rosette of leaves is covered for a more successful wintering. Mineral fertilizing is applied in the spring under a shovel, using urea, superphosphate and potassium chloride at the same time. In the spring, rotted manure is also applied under control, since excess nitrogen in the summer leads to unwanted flowering.​

​You can cook compote. It is a great tonic. In addition, it helps against worms. The compote is very easily digestible and is safe to drink even for small children.​


The bushes should be divided in the fall. Well-developed and healthy bushes are cut into pieces with a shovel. Each of them must have 1 - 2 large buds and developed roots. After this, the sections are dried a little, and their sections are sprinkled with charcoal, and then rhubarb is planted.


​Young shoots, bleached or grown in the light (green asparagus), are used for food. They contain proteins, carbohydrates, various vitamins, and mineral salts. Dietary dishes are prepared from asparagus, which are recommended for diseases of the kidneys, liver, and diabetes.​


Planting rhubarb and growing it

​– lettuce, radishes, onions.​

​Planting before flowering and after flowering is treated with 40% phosphamide.

A well-developed but low-flowering rhubarb bush (age 3-4 years) with fleshy petioles is dug up in the spring. Using a knife, the root is divided into parts, each containing roots and growth buds. The parts are planted at a distance of at least 20 cm from each other.​

​Control of pests and diseases, if they occur, also applies to crop care. Common diseases are rust, false powdery mildew.​

Rhubarb seeds are soaked on a damp cloth until sprouts of 1-2 mm appear.

​Rhubarb tincture.​

​Rhubarb is a perennial plant with a powerful and developed root system. The root system consists of a short rhizome and large roots extending from it. In the first year of life, the plant develops only a basal rosette of leaves, and after a year or two, stems form. Powerful, tall stems, reaching up to 3 meters, do not branch much. The outside of the stems has reddish spots. The basal leaves are large in size and have leaf blades. The leaves located on the stem are smaller in size and have flares at the base.

Its infusion has an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect. It is used to treat colds, runny nose, sinusitis and nasal congestion.​


The seeds are planted in a growing bed. Freshly harvested seeds can also be sown. You can also plant on frozen ground in late autumn. If sowing is carried out in the spring, but preliminary stratification is necessary. The seeds are planted at a depth of 2–3 cm. After 15–20 days, shoots appear. They need to be thinned out. After a year or two, the plants are transplanted to permanent place. It is better to replant to a permanent place in September or early spring.​

What are the benefits of rhubarb - medicinal properties

Rhubarb roots are dark brown or reddish in color. You can see them in the photo of rhubarb. They consist of a branched rhizome and root system. In the third year of life, the roots can spread up to 100 cm in radius and lie 50 cm deep.​

​Lighting​

Cabbage and potato scoop. Caterpillars damage rhubarb rhizomes and petioles. The leaves become curled and the plant grows poorly. Damaged stems are cut off. If plants such as burdock and thistle grow nearby, then the weeds are destroyed, since the female cutworms lay eggs in them.​


​How to grow rhubarb from seeds?​

​http://youtu.be/cf4bNelQzYU​

If seeds are used for planting, they should be soaked before sowing, for about 10 hours. Then spread in a neat layer on a tray and covered with damp gauze for germination. It is necessary to ensure that the gauze and seeds do not dry out; for this it is necessary to periodically moisten and provide access to light. In order for the seeds to germinate, they cannot be completely covered with water, since the seeds need to breathe.​

​You need to take 90 grams of plant roots and fill them with 100 ml of 70% alcohol. Let it sit for 2 weeks. After straining the finished tincture, it will turn out to be transparent and reddish in color. The taste of the tincture is bitter. You need to take 1 teaspoon of the tincture twice a day before meals.​

​Small white and pink flowers collected in inflorescences - panicles. There are about 8 flowers in one inflorescence. The fruit of rhubarb is a brown nut consisting of 3 sides. Rhubarb begins to bloom in early summer, and the fruits ripen a month later.​


​Growing rhubarb in open ground

​Eating salad leaves can lower your blood sugar. Brewed leaves improve vision. They also help with eyesores.​

​Water should not stagnate in the chosen location. To grow rhubarb, you can choose soil rich in humus. First you need to till the soil well. Add compost or humus wood ash and mineral fertilizers. If the soil is acidic, it needs to be limed. Rhizomes are placed in holes. The depth of the holes is 50 cm. The distances between rhizomes should not be less than 70 cm. The soil is compacted, watered thoroughly and mulched with peat or humus.

The stem is straight, hollow, with few branches. It is usually 1 m in height. However, it can grow up to 2.5 m. Its diameter is 2 – 5 cm. External surface green with red spots and stripes. One plant can produce up to 30 large green leaves.​

- light-loving, shade-tolerant.

​Sorrel leaf beetle. The pest makes holes in the leaves. Control measures are similar - cutting off diseased leaves.

​The seeds are soaked in a solution of water and ash for three days and germinated in a damp cloth until sprouts measuring 1–2 mm in size. Then let them dry slightly. Sow rhubarb in shallow furrows of moist soil in October or April. Experienced gardeners note that rhubarb seeds have poor germination even with high-quality seed and good care.​

Rhubarb: photo gallery (click to enlarge):


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Growing rhubarb from seeds

​As you can see, rhubarb does not require any special cultivation and care approaches, while at the same time providing you with the necessary vitamins and nutrients.​

After sprouts of 1-2 mm appear, they are dried and then sown. Sow seeds at the end of April and beginning of May. Furrows are made in the soil, the seeds are sown in moist soil to a depth of 2-3 cm. Germinated seeds sprout within 4-5 days. After the first leaves appear, the rows are thinned. The distance between plants should be 20 cm.​

Growing conditions

Rhubarb powder is a laxative.

​Rhubarb grows in China, Siberia, the CIS and Central Asia and Russia. Prefers to grow on sunny places, semi-shaded places, and in places with moist soil.​

Reproduction methods

Carry out vegetative propagation. Bushes selected for seedlings are dug up in early spring before the beginning of the growing season. Use at least 4 - summer plants, no signs of flowering. Using a sharp knife, divide the rhizomes into parts. Each of them must have good root and at least one large growth bud, preferably apical. From one rhizome you can get from five to ten planting plants. The resulting roots are immediately planted in the ground.

A compress of crushed roots with the addition of vinegar removes pimples. It is also used for bruises and bruises. Compresses made from rhubarb and barley flour are applied to the wounds. They also treat smallpox. Compresses of the root, hazel mallow, barley flour and inknut are applied to broken bones.​ ​It can be planted between fruit trees, and sow green crops between them.​

​Stem leaves are enough small size. The basal ones are more fleshy and large. Their petioles are up to 70 cm long. Watering

​Many gardeners value rhubarb not only for its healthy taste, but also as a beautiful ornamental shoot. Modern landscape design includes decoration summer cottages large bright green leaves forming a rosette.​

​After the leaves appear, feed with complex fertilizers, slurry or bird droppings every 2 weeks. Young plants should be watered regularly.​

Care and harvesting

​Rhubarb is a useful garden plant of the buckwheat family, brought from Southeast Asia. Cultivated rhubarb was brought to Russia by the great Russian traveler and geographer N.M. Przhevalsky. Later it turned out that wild varieties rhubarb is found in Siberia, on Far East and in the Caucasus.​

To grow rhubarb by vegetative propagation, its 4-year-old bush in early spring or autumn, carefully dug out of the ground, is divided into parts so that 2-3 well-formed buds and one root remain.

​Take 10 grams of rhubarb and licorice roots, grind everything to a powder. For constipation, take a tablespoon after dinner. You should not take this product often, as it may become addictive to the powder.​

Rhubarb is a plant that tolerates frost and cold well. On hot days, watering the plant is necessary. However, there should be no stagnation of water in the soil, as this will lead to rotting of the roots.​

uhodvdomashnihusloviah.ru

How to grow rhubarb yourself

The value of rhubarb lies in its ease of cultivation, early maturation harvest and a high content of vitamins, acids and many organic salts, which have a beneficial effect on digestion and promote the absorption of food.


Rhubarb petioles contain on average 95% water, 0.5-1% nitrogenous substances, 0.5-1% sugars, 3-8% dry matter, 1.5-3% without nitrogenous substances, 3-5% oxalic acid , 1-2% malic acid and about 10 mg% vitamin C.


Rhubarb is known in medicine as a laxative and choleretic agent, the preparations of which are widely used in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. The leaf petioles are used as food, from which compotes, jelly, jam, kvass, and wine are prepared.

Rhubarb belongs to the buckwheat family. This is a perennial plant with a powerful rhizome that extends far into the soil and many dormant buds, due to which the growth of leaves and flower shoots resumes.

REPRODUCTION

Rhubarb reproduces by dividing these buds. An adult 4-6 year old rhizome has 5-6 branches. Each of them contains up to 6-7 buds, which have rudimentary stems with flowers in a rudimentary state. At the base of the rhizome there are young buds - growth (vegetative). Buds with reproductive organs begin to develop as the plant grows, forming a flower stem and seeds. Of the vegetative buds, some remain dormant. Each of them repeats approximately the following development cycle: 1st-2nd year - vegetative growth, 2nd or 3rd year - seed formation and death.

The leaves are on long petioles, succulent, green, pink or red in color, collected in a rosette. The leaf blade is entire, with a wavy edge, oval or triangular shape, reaches a size of 70 by 80 centimeters, especially in wet years. In the second year, 40-50 days after the leaves begin to grow, flower stems appear. They reach a height of 2-2.5 meters, are hollow, and have long internodes. On the stems there are sessile, relatively not large leaves. The stems end in a panicle-shaped inflorescence. The flowers are small, white, and their scent attracts many insects. The seeds are brown, triangular in shape, with a lionfish. With the appearance of the flower stem, the formation of new leaves stops, and during the period of seed maturation, the rosette of leaves gradually dies off, and only after cutting out the shoots does secondary leaf growth begin. If the stems are broken off in a timely manner, the growth of the rosette of leaves is observed throughout the summer, which makes it possible to extend the period of collecting rhubarb petioles from the site.

GROWING FEATURES - RHUBURB

Rhubarb is a cold-resistant plant; it does not freeze out in harsh winters with little snow and begins to grow immediately after the snow melts. Young buds tolerate frosts of 2-6 degrees cold. The growth and development of rhubarb is observed at temperatures from 2 to 18 degrees Celsius. With more high temperature At 25-27 degrees, plants grow and develop very quickly.

With a lack of moisture, the growth of petioles is inhibited, they quickly become coarse and have an unpleasant taste. In wet and cool years, rhubarb produces juicy and fleshy petioles that do not become coarse for a long time; the growing season is extended by 20-30 days.

Rhubarb is not demanding of light; it can be placed in shaded areas, between rows orchard, near fences, buildings. The soil should be light and fertile, so the development of a powerful bush requires a large amount nutrients.

Rhubarb reproduces well by dividing rhizomes. It is divided into several parts, multiples of the visible buds on the rhizome. Such propagation is most often practiced in gardens, on personal plots, and especially when obtaining new varieties. This method allows you to carefully select plants based on early ripeness, petiole color, and vitamin content.

With vegetative propagation, the yield of petioles in the first year of planting is the same as on a 2-3-year-old plantation when propagated by seeds. It should be taken into account that the central buds of the bush produce flower shoots in the first year, and the side buds - in the 2-3rd year after planting. This pattern should be taken into account when choosing planting material, selecting highly productive bushes with late flowering.

With the appearance of a rosette of leaves, the plants in the row are thinned out. They are left at a distance of about half a meter from one another, after which the feeding area for an adult plant becomes quite sufficient. On fertilized and wet soils After a month, the plants have a well-developed rosette of leaves, and after one and a half to two months the length of the petioles reaches 10-25 centimeters, and some of them are quite suitable for cutting. By autumn, the yield of petioles is approximately 200-500 grams per bush.

Good results can be achieved by summer sowing in July, which is usually done in rainy weather. At the same time, by the end of the growing season, a developed rosette of leaves with a sufficient supply of nutrients is formed, which contributes to a good overwintering of the plants. The following year, as a rule, rhubarb is ready for harvesting by May 20-30. Consequently, spring sowing produces products already in the year of sowing by autumn, and summer sowing - by the spring of next year. Therefore, both methods are quite acceptable in our conditions.

With the onset of the flowering phase, the growth of new leaves almost stops, and the uncut petioles become coarser. After the seeds ripen, in mid-July, secondary leaf growth begins, which gives an additional harvest of petioles. Thus, gardeners can make two cuts - spring and summer - to harvest rhubarb. In spring, the plant contains from 40 to 60 mg% vitamin C per 100 grams of product. This means that one or two petioles are enough to satisfy a person’s daily need for vitamin C. During the budding period, the vitamin C content decreases significantly, and by autumn, with secondary regrowth, it increases again. Rhubarb can grow in one place for 10-12 years, but from 5-6 years of age, the leaves and petioles become small and a little juicy. By this time, it makes sense to start a new bed of rhubarb.

The agricultural technology for cultivating rhubarb is simple. It consists of early spring digging of row spacing with the addition of humus and peat with the addition of mineral fertilizers. During the summer, the soil is loosened two to three times. In this case, the flower stems are cut out. Irrigation of the site improves the quality of products and lengthens the harvest period. When cutting petioles, one-third of the leaves should be left so as not to weaken the plant. Cut petioles without processing can be stored refrigerated for 5-6 days.

In Russia, rhubarb has been known since the 17th century. He made a long journey to us from Asia, his homeland is Central China and the Himalayas. More than 30 varieties of this plant are known, but most often two are cultivated – wavy and compact.

Biological features

Rhubarb is a powerful perennial plant that can grow for more than 10-15 years in a permanent place. Culture develops well fertile land, rich in organic matter. Slightly acidic loamy soils are best suited soil, but can also grow on acidic soils. It is better to lime the strongly acidic ones.

My rhubarb bush in the country is the most gorgeous in all gardening. Leningrad region.

In a lighted place, the petioles grow especially thick and juicy, although the plant tolerates slight shading calmly.

One of my bushes grows wonderfully under an apple tree in a shaded place and does not complain about the conditions.

Rhubarb is cold hardy, frosty winters are not scary for him. It requires a lot of space for growth and development, loves moisture, but does not tolerate stagnant water. Pleases with a good harvest in a cool, rainy summer. The plant is propagated in two ways: vegetatively and by seeds.

Vegetative propagation

With this method, planting material retains all varietal characteristics and is more uniform. One bush can produce 10-12 plants.

Spring, when the snow has just melted, or mid-autumn - the right time to divide rhizomes. The best 4-5 year old non-flowering plants are selected. The rhubarb is dug up with roots, then cut into pieces with a sharp knife so that each section has one or two roots and a bud. The separated rhizomes are dried, planted in a garden bed and always watered.

If not the entire bush is divided, then the mother plant is not dug up. In order not to damage the remaining bush, the earth around it is raked, and part of the rhizome with buds is carefully separated with a sharp shovel. Planting pits for rhubarb they are prepared thoroughly: 35-40 cm deep. Since the vegetable will have to grow in one place for a long time and needs nutrition, humus or humus must be added to the holes. When planting, make sure that the top of the bud is flush with the ground; there is no need to bury it.

Growing rhubarb from seeds

Opening a bag of seeds and putting them dry in the ground means wasting your time. The thing is that they take a very long time to sprout.

Before sowing, rhubarb seeds need preliminary preparation . They are soaked for 3 days in warm water, changing it several times. Afterwards, they are laid out on a damp cloth for germination and periodically carefully turned over so as not to suffocate without access to oxygen. As soon as the sprouts appear, the seeds are sown.

There is another way to process seeds. They are kept in warm water for two days. Then lay it out on a thick cloth and put it in the refrigerator for a week. This procedure accelerates seed germination by 10-14 days.

Sow seeds in early spring in April or late autumn before frost. in a greenhouse is preferable. Such seedlings turn out to be stronger.

When seedlings appear, they are thinned out. Rhubarb is responsive to organic feeding. They are alternated with processing mineral fertilizers, for example nitrophoska.

Rhubarb is transplanted to a permanent place in August-September, when 4-5 leaves have grown. Optimal scheme landings - 80x80 cm or 100x100 cm.

A young rhubarb bush is in its first year of life after dividing the rhizomes. Mid-spring - first leaves.

Caring for mature plants

Like other crops, rhubarb is loosened, weeds are regularly removed, watered abundantly in dry weather and fed. In the first year of the plant’s life, the soil is loosened often, then this should be done less often, as the bush grows and can be damaged.

As has already been said, rhubarb prefers nitrogen fertilizers, especially organic ones. He needs this to build up a powerful leaf mass. In the first year, feed once every three weeks (1:5) or (1:10). Nitrogen fertilizers are used ammonium nitrate or nitrophoska, and at the end of summer potassium chloride. In subsequent years, 2-3 feedings per season are sufficient.

The main thing is not to get carried away with phosphorus fertilizers, otherwise the growth of leaves will slow down, and instead of a bush with succulent petioles you will get a wildly flowering plant.

Without abundant watering it is impossible to obtain high-quality stems, therefore 4-5 waterings are needed per season. The norm is 7-8 liters per bush.

From the second year, the plant develops flower stalks; they are regularly removed so that leaf growth does not slow down. The bushes are regularly rejuvenated. To do this, in the summer, the leaves and stems are removed, leaving one or two per plant, they will help the vegetable prepare for winter.

Diseases and pests

Despite its unpretentiousness, rhubarb has enemies - diseases and pests.

Plants are affected by viral mosaic and powdery mildew. Excessive waterlogging causes root collar rot. The affected leaves are removed, and the plant itself is treated with Bordeaux mixture.

The crop pests are:

  • rhubarb bug,
  • beet and buckwheat flea,
  • potato scoop,

Chemical treatment against pests is carried out only after collecting the petioles, in the second half of summer.

Forcing rhubarb

For winter forcing, rhizomes are buried in autumn dark place. Suitable temperature is 6-7 degrees. To support it, you can build a frame or cover the plant with film. It’s amazing: it’s winter outside, but rhubarb lives. All the energy accumulated in the roots during the summer goes towards the maturation of succulent petioles. In spring, the vegetable is planted back into the ground for the next harvest.

Rhubarb, a plant of the Buckwheat family, brought from Central Asia, has long been one of the earliest sources of vitamins, concentrated in the fleshy petioles of the crop, colored red or red depending on the variety. green color. Due to its valuable nutritional characteristics, rhubarb is widely used in cooking for preparing first courses, vegetable purees, drinks and even filling for pies. In folk medicine, the culture is highly valued for its choleretic, antiemetic, laxative and diuretic properties. In addition, eating rhubarb can successfully solve the problems of seasonal vitamin deficiency and lack of appetite.

It is customary to propagate rhubarb by seed and vegetative methods, both of which are highly effective and widely used by practicing gardeners. The crop is grown from seeds during initial planting or breeding new varieties. The vegetative propagation method is suitable for rejuvenating and expanding existing plantings healthy vegetable. Easy to care for, rhubarb grows well and produces high yields in temperate climates, making it in demand as a garden crop. To avoid mistakes, before planting, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the basic rules for cultivating rhubarb.

Selecting and preparing a seat

Being a perennial crop, rhubarb can grow and produce good yields in one place for up to 10 years, so for planting it it is necessary to choose well-moistened areas with deep fertile layer and good aeration.

Seat start processing late autumn– the site is dug up using a spade, generously filling the soil with organic matter (2-3 buckets of manure, peat or humus are added for each m2). Acidified soil is alkalized by adding slaked lime or dolomite flour. Repeated treatment is carried out in early spring: the soil is intensively loosened with a garden fork or rake. At this time, it is recommended to apply mineral fertilizers (30 g of urea, 60 g of superphosphate and 30 g of potassium chloride for each m2).

Growing from seeds

With the seed propagation method, in the first season of growth, active growth and filling of the vegetative mass of seedlings occurs. Harvesting can only be done in the second year of plant life, since premature breaking of petioles can seriously weaken an underdeveloped bush.

Sowing seeds for seedlings is carried out in several stages:

  • The seed material is soaked until it swells in several layers of damp gauze, which must be periodically moistened to prevent it from drying out.
  • Sprouted seeds with white sprouts 1–2 mm long are dried to a free-flowing state.
  • The sprouted seeds are sown in grooves formed on the loosened soil surface to a depth of 2–3 cm with the obligatory addition of warm, settled water. For every m? About 3–4 g of seed material is consumed per planting area.
  • Friendly shoots of rhubarb appear 4–5 days after sowing. At the stage of formation of the first pair of true leaves, the seedlings are thinned out, leaving 20–25 cm between plants free space necessary for their proper development.
  • During the growing period, caring for rhubarb seedlings consists of regular watering, loosening and weeding of the soil, and timely application of mineral and organic fertilizers. IN favorable conditions on every m? landing site By autumn, 15–20 strong, well-developed bushes with 3–4 formed leaf plates grow.

Overwintered plants are dug up in early spring to be transferred to a permanent place of growth. The bushes are transplanted into shallow holes, pressing them tightly with soil, according to the 100? 100 cm. During transplantation, the apical bud should not be covered with more than 1–2 cm of soil. If the soil moisture is insufficient, it is recommended to water the plants moderately after completing the procedure.

Vegetative method of propagation

To propagate rhubarb by dividing the bush ( vegetative propagation) several adults (4–5 years old) have been celebrating since spring healthy plants, which are dug shortly before transplantation and using sharp knife divide their rhizomes into 5–10 parts. Each seedling must have at least 1–2 growth buds. It is not recommended to choose old rhubarb bushes for division, which quickly bloom after transplantation, which negatively affects the consumer characteristics of the crop.

Delenki are planted in holes measuring 60? 60? 60 cm, at the bottom of which a handful of compost or humus is first added. The seedlings are pressed tightly with soil, leaving a growth bud on the surface. To speed up the rooting process, the soil under the plantings is moistened abundantly during the first week. Considering the impressive size of adult rhubarb, when transplanting it is recommended to leave free area– approximately 100? 150 cm. Optimal time to carry out the division procedure - early spring or mid-autumn.

Features of care

To obtain high-quality, tasty and juicy petioles, plantings require the following measures:

  • Timely watering – rhubarb bushes are watered regularly and abundantly, preventing the soil from drying out. During the growing season, the irrigation rate is at least 20 liters per square meter. Due to lack of moisture, rhubarb stems become coarser, become fibrous and lack juiciness.
  • Weeding and loosening - the root zone and aisles are periodically cleared of weed and fluff up the ground under the bushes, providing a free flow of oxygen to their root system.
  • Fertilizing - every 3-4 years in the fall, 1-2 buckets of organic matter are added to the rows between plants for each m². In early spring, mineral fertilizing is carried out.
  • Pruning - from the second year of growth, it is necessary to cut out the uterine stems of rhubarb, which greatly weaken the plants. The flower shoots of the crop are also subject to removal.
  • Protection from pests and diseases - most often, rhubarb bushes are attacked by buckwheat flea, rhubarb elephant and rhubarb bug. Of the diseases, the greatest danger to the crop is ascochyta blight (spotting) and gray rot. It is important to remember that you can treat a plant with chemicals only after harvesting the last harvest for the current season.

Bushes provided with proper care grow well and quickly reach consumer maturity.

Harvesting Rules

Rhubarb harvesting begins at the end of March - beginning of April from the second year of plant growth. Petioles with a diameter of at least 1.5 cm are twisted at the base of the bush and freed from leaves, the length of which at the time of harvesting should be 25–30 cm. During the current season, petioles are collected several times, stopping their selection 45–60 days before the end growing season in order to have time to restore the supply of nutrients in the rhizomes of the bushes necessary for a successful wintering. Red-cut rhubarb is used to prepare vitamin-rich desserts (mousses, jellies, jams, baking fillings) and drinks (jelly, compote, kvass); green-cut rhubarb is suitable as a base for dishes such as green cabbage soup, vegetable stews and purees. In the first 2–3 years of the crop’s life, up to 1.5–2.5 kg of nutritious fleshy petioles can be collected from one plant. Subsequently, the yield of an adult bush is up to 6 kg per season.

Rhubarb is a useful plant brought to our region from Southeast Asia. This is a vitamin vegetable crop, which is widely used in cooking and is an excellent addition to the daily diet. Juicy young leaves and petioles of rhubarb with a sour-refreshing taste are a valuable source of vitamins, pectins and minerals. This is one of the first vegetables that appears on our tables in early spring. By eating rhubarb, you can solve the problem of seasonal vitamin deficiency, as well as improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Rhubarb is an unpretentious garden crop that can easily be grown in a summer cottage.

Rhubarb belongs to the genus of herbaceous plants of the Buckwheat family. It is a perennial with a powerful root system and a thick, woody stem of a reddish hue. The stem is straight, hollow, from 2 to 5 cm in diameter, its height reaches 1 meter, some plant species grow up to 2.5 meters in height. A large paniculate inflorescence up to 50 cm long is formed at the top of the stem. Rhubarb blooms in the second or third year after planting with white, greenish, less often pink, and red flowers.

The basal leaves of rhubarb are large and whole, while the stem leaves are small. The leaves grow on dense petioles, reaching a length of 70 cm and a width of 3-4 cm. The color of the leaves is green or reddish. The juicy petioles have high nutritional value and have a sour taste reminiscent of apple and lemon. They are used to prepare compotes, jelly, pie fillings, jams, and candied fruits. The fruit of rhubarb is triangular nuts, ripening time is July. Rhubarb has a short growing season and produces high yields throughout the year.

In one place the plant gives good harvest from 10 to 12 years. Rhubarb is a frost-resistant plant that is not afraid spring frosts and withstands minus temperature up to 10 degrees. But young buds can develop normally only at 2-6 degrees below zero. Optimal temperature for rhubarb growth is 16-20 degrees Celsius. Hot climate is unfavorable for the plant, as its delicate petioles become coarse and fibrous, losing their juiciness.

Rhubarb: varieties

More than 50 species of the plant are known, most varieties grow primarily in the homeland of rhubarb - Asia. The most known species plants:

  • Altai rhubarb. Rhubarb grows in the highlands and rocky areas of Siberia, Mongolia, and China. Perennial, reaching a height of up to 1.2 meters. The stem is strong, powerful, hollow inside, 1-3 cm in diameter. Altai rhubarb has a powerful root system. The root of the plant is used in folk medicine to treat psoriasis, the stems are used to treat gastrointestinal diseases, anemia, and tuberculosis.

  • Tangut palmate rhubarb. The species is native to the mountains of southern and western China. People call it rhubarb officinalis. The stems of the plant reach a height of up to 2 meters, have a reddish tint, and are ribbed. The leaves are collected at the base in root rosette, petioles are long and fleshy. Used in folk medicine as a laxative and choleretic agent.

In our region such popular varieties rhubarb like:

  • Victoria. An early, high-yielding variety with amazing taste. The length of the petioles is up to 60 cm. The variety is different abundant flowering, which, according to gardeners, is its only drawback.
  • Ogre-13. A productive, mid-season variety with large petioles and excellent taste.
  • Moskovsky-42. An early variety with high yield.
  • Large-petiolate. An early variety resistant to diseases and pests. Resistant to low temperatures, but demanding on soil. The petioles are juicy and sweet.
  • Red early. An early variety with strong, bright red petioles. Has excellent taste.

How to grow rhubarb in your summer cottage

Rhubarb is an undemanding to growing conditions, frost-resistant perennial crop that can grow and produce bountiful harvest in one place for 10 years. Therefore, the most important condition successful cultivation garden crops is the choice of planting location.

Choosing soil for planting rhubarb

Rhubarb is a shade-tolerant crop; it can grow in partial shade, but develops better in sunny areas. Young shoots especially need good lighting during the period of active growth. The main requirement for the landing site is fertile soil with natural air exchange. The ideal soil for growing the plant is loamy soil, saturated with organic fertilizers, without the presence of groundwater. In poor soil, rhubarb leaves will be small. The soil in the garden bed should be loose and moist.

Preparing the bed for planting

Preparing the site for planting begins in the fall. The planting site should be dug well with a spade, add organic fertilizers to the soil: 2-3 buckets of manure, humus, peat per meter square land. If the soil is acidic, you need to add slaked lime or dolomite flour.

Repeated soil treatment is carried out in early spring. The soil in the garden bed needs to be loosened with a pitchfork or rake and mineral fertilizer applied per square meter:

  • Urea – 30 g.
  • Superphosphate – 60 g.
  • Potassium chloride – 30 g.

Rhubarb: propagation

Rhubarb can be grown from seeds or by dividing the rhizome.

Growing rhubarb from seeds

When using the seed propagation method, it is worth remembering that harvesting (twisting the petioles) is carried out only in the second year of the plant’s life. In the first year after planting, rhubarb actively increases its vegetative mass, and premature twisting of the petioles will weaken the young bush. Propagation by seeds occurs in several stages:

  • Preparation seed material. Rhubarb seeds are soaked in damp gauze until they swell. It is necessary to periodically moisten the gauze with warm, settled water and prevent the seeds from drying out. It will take several days (3-4 days) for the seeds to swell. As soon as sprouts 1-2 mm long appear, they are dried - the seeds are ready for planting in a container in a greenhouse or greenhouse.

  • For sowing seeds, prepare boxes with fertile, loose soil. It is necessary to make grooves in the ground where rhubarb seeds are planted. Planting depth – 2-3 cm. Seed consumption during planting – 3-4 grams per meter of planting area. After deepening the seed into the ground, the ground is watered with warm, settled water.
  • The first abundant shoots appear 4-5 days after sowing. As soon as a pair of strong leaves appear on the seedlings, the seedlings can be thinned out, leaving a distance of 20-25 cm between seedlings so that the plant actively develops.
  • As they grow, the seedlings are watered, the soil is loosened, weeds are removed, and organic and complex mineral fertilizers are applied.
  • By autumn, the height of young bushes reaches 25-30 cm, on which 4 developed leaves are formed.
  • Overwintered specimens in early spring are ready to be transplanted to a permanent place, in open ground.
  • The bushes are transplanted into shallow holes according to a 1 × 1 m pattern. When deepening a young plant, the apical bud should not be covered with soil by more than 1–2 cm. After transplanting, the plant must be watered.

Propagation of rhubarb by dividing the bush

The easiest way to plant rhubarb is to use vegetative method reproduction, dividing the bush. This method of reproduction is carried out in the autumn.

  1. For propagation, large adult plants with massive reddish petioles are chosen.
  2. The bush must be dug up and, using a sharp knife, the rhizome must be divided into several parts. Each new plant should have 1-2 growth buds.
  3. The delenki should be well dried in the sun, preventing them from rotting.
  4. Prepared new plants are planted in holes measuring 60 × 60 × 60 cm. A layer of organic matter (compost or humus) must be placed at the bottom of the holes. Planted seedlings are compacted tightly and watered abundantly.
  5. Regular watering required young plant in a week.

Rhubarb: care features

Rhubarb is an unpretentious garden crop, rarely susceptible to disease and attack. harmful insects. Another feature of the plant is that practically no weeds form around the bush. To make the plant happy high yield juicy, tasty and healthy petioles, it is necessary to regularly loosen the soil under the bush, ensure timely watering and fertilizing.

Loosening and mulching rhubarb

Rhubarb grows well in loose soil. Young plants especially need loosening of the root zone; their roots need to be provided with an influx of oxygen for further rooting. After planting, you need to mulch the soil well, and during active growth, promptly remove rare weeds.

Watering rhubarb

Rhubarb is a moisture-loving crop and needs abundant, timely watering. Insufficient soil moisture can cause the tender and juicy stems of the plant to become coarser, making them unsuitable for consumption. Water the bushes 1-2 times a week (a bucket of water per 1 sq.m of soil). During the period of active growth, the water norm doubles. But, you should not allow an excess of moisture in the soil. In dry summers, rhubarb leaves are sprayed in the evening or morning hours, as they quickly lose moisture. IN winter period Rhubarb is not watered.

Feeding rhubarb

Rhubarb needs feeding only during the growing season; it prefers organic fertilizers, for example cow dung, diluted with water. It is recommended to periodically replace manure with humus. Place 1-2 buckets into the rows between the bushes organic fertilizer. In early spring it is advisable to apply mineral fertilizers.

Rhubarb pruning

To ensure high yields, it is necessary to promptly remove the plant’s uterine stems, which weaken its growth. As soon as rhubarb blooms, its flower shoots should be removed.
The time for feeding is early spring and late autumn.

How to collect rhubarb seeds

If you want to collect the seeds yourself, you need to select a separate rhubarb bush and wait for it to bloom. Inflorescences with browned seeds must be cut off and tied in small sheaves for further ripening. After the seeds have ripened, they are dried and stored in fabric bags. One plant can produce up to 100 grams of seeds.

Rhubarb: protection against diseases and pests

Rhubarb is a crop that is resistant to many diseases and pests. In very rare cases, it is possible for the plant to be attacked by pests such as:

  • Rhubarb weevil. Insect brown or gray, 0.5 cm long. It feeds on the leaves of the plant. To combat it, bushes are treated before flowering with a 40% phosphamide solution. After flowering, re-treatment with a chemical composition is carried out.

  • Cabbage and potato scoop. They look like caterpillars that feed on the rhizomes and petioles of the plant. You can notice the cabbage cutworm by curled leaves; the plant slows down its growth and looks weak. If a pest is detected, damaged leaves are cut off. Particular attention should be paid to neighboring plants in the garden bed. Female cutworms can lay eggs in burdock and thistle leaves.
  • Sorrel leaf beetle. Small pest, which feeds on the hired part of the plant, eating holes in the leaves. Damaged leaves are removed.

Excess moisture in the soil can lead to the development of fungal diseases such as gray rot and powdery mildew. Possible infection with ramulariasis. A disease characterized by the appearance of small brown spots on the petioles of the plant. Over time, the spots become paler and the leaves dry out. For treatment I use spraying of bushes Bordeaux mixture. The plant cannot be treated; infected specimens are removed and burned. To avoid possible problems When growing, it is not recommended to plant rhubarb bushes too densely.

When to Harvest Rhubarb

The first rhubarb harvest in the spring is already at the end of March or beginning of April. The harvest is harvested only from the second year after planting the young plant. The first year of life, rhubarb gains strength. Rhubarb is ready to eat when its leaves are about 25-30 cm long and have reached 1.5 cm in diameter. Mature petioles unscrew at the base of the bush. The petioles cannot be cut so as not to damage the growing point of the plant. When collecting petioles, you need to leave a few leaves on the bush to avoid depletion of the root. The harvest can be harvested several times per season, 3-4 times over 8-10 weeks until the beginning of August.

But rhubarb is of greatest value in early spring; it is a storehouse of vitamins and nutrients that our body needs after a long winter. In spring, young rhubarb leaves are used to prepare cabbage soup, borscht, and cabbage rolls. Vitamin desserts are prepared from the petioles of red-cut rhubarb: mousses, jellies, jams, candied fruits, as well as refreshing drinks (jelly, compote).

Green rhubarb petioles are an excellent base for soups, vegetable purees and stews. In the first 2-3 years, up to 2.5 juicy and nutritious petioles can be collected from one bush. The productivity of an adult bush is up to 6 kg per season. Rhubarb stems can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week. They need to be wrapped tightly in cling film. If you want to prepare vitamin petioles for the winter, the stems need to be washed well, dried, then placed in a vacuum film and stored in the freezer. After freezing, rhubarb does not lose its beneficial properties and taste.

Rhubarb is an unpretentious useful plant that is easy to grow in your summer cottage. Unforgettable taste and beneficial features plants make no one indifferent. Rhubarb has a high yield and can be harvested several times a season. By selecting and growing rhubarb varieties in the garden that differ in the ripening time of the petioles, you can harvest the crop all year round.

Rhubarb, photo