3. Good Organic Gardening - May-June 2016 AvxHome.in

Rhubarb | FAMILY HEIRLOOMS
to honour Queen Victoria, so it has been
grown and cherished by gardeners for
close to 180 years. ‘Victoria’ boasts large,
bright, pink-red stems and a milder,
sweeter flavour than other types. There
are also old heirloom varieties with stems
that are all or mostly green in colour, with a
lovely sweet flavour.
If you’re a city gardener or short on
space, look out for compact varieties such
as ‘Ruby Red Dwarf’, which crops well in
tight spots and decorative pots. It has
short, thick, ruby-red stems and pretty,
blue-green foliage.
Growing
Rhubarb is a herbaceous perennial that
needs plenty of room to grow, so find a
dedicated space for it in the kitchen or
flower garden. It can be grown from crowns
or planted as seed, but seed-grown plants
are variable so crowns are usually best.
Or you may know someone who has a big
clump that can be divided. Plants enjoy a
cold winter, so are best grown in areas that
aren’t too hot or humid.
The best time to plant rhubarb crowns is
somewhere from May to October. Rhubarb
likes a sunny position, but it will tolerate
a bit of shade. For best results, grow it in
well-drained soil that has been prepared
with plenty of compost and organic matter.
Rhubarb is relatively pest and disease
free, but plants can be susceptible to
Mt Tamborine
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