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I still have rhubarb growing in my garden. Is it ok to pick this late in October?




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You could try but I would expect it to be pretty woody.

29 Oct, 2012

 

When planting out Spring Cabbage, put a piece of Rhubarb about 1" long in the hole. Helps to deter Clubroot infection.

30 Oct, 2012

 

Later in the season there is much, much more oxalic acid concentrated in the leaves and stems. I would be wary about eating it now, and instead give it a really good feed of mulch before it dies down in the late autumn.
Then get a nice black bin in late January and cover the clump, ready to get the fabulous, sweet and tasty young blanched shoots which will be for a time when there is nothing else like a 'fruit' available.
People say you can't go on growing rhubarb once it has been forced but we find if you don't take all the shoots repeatedly, it still makes plenty of growth for late spring and summer use.

30 Oct, 2012

 

I've heard the advice about oxalic acid - but when our boys were small and always hungry I ignored it and used to make rhubarb ginger jam with end of season rhubarb, and we never suffered any ill effects.
A tip about cooking rhubarb for the health conscious - after stewing, add a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. It will froth up alarmingly but it does destroy the extreme acidity at any time of year and means you need a lot less sugar. I'm not sure what the product of the reaction is as I don't know whether the acidity earlier in the season is still oxalic acid, but this tip has worked for me for years with no apparent ill effects!

31 Oct, 2012

 

Stera turning the rhubarb into jam deals with the oxalic acid...

31 Oct, 2012

 

Thanks a lot guys. Just moved into a new house with a veg patch in the garden and there was rhubarb still growing and looking healthy. Think ill try forcing in the new year and wait for some lovely new shoots. (Very new to this if you can tell) Thanks again.

8 Nov, 2012

How do I say thanks?

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