You still can’t get your last rhubarb cake out of your head and actually you would like to bake one again, but you are not so sure whether the harvest is still appropriate? Or maybe you’ve never harvested rhubarb stalks before and aren’t quite sure how to go about it? Don’t worry, we’re here for you! We will explain to you exactly when and how long you can harvest rhubarb and how exactly you do it.
When can you harvest rhubarb and for how long?
There are now special varieties with a very long harvest time, namely from April to October. For the usual rhubarb varieties, however, the harvest season begins in May and lasts for several weeks. However, harvesting takes place no earlier than the second year after you have planted them, with many even waiting another year. The benefit of waiting is that the stalks are then significantly stronger and also more numerous.
We have already mentioned that May is usually the beginning of the harvest season. But is there also something purely visually about the plant that you could use as a guide?
When to harvest rhubarb: This is how you get your bearings purely visually
The goal is not to wait too long. The older the stems are, the more lignified they are, which means that you not only have to peel them, but also remove the fibers they contain during preparation. But how do you know if it’s not too early? As a rule of thumb, the stalks are ready to harvest when:
- the leaves have fully unfolded. They should no longer be rippled or crumpled, but should have spread out completely.
- the poles are red. Red colored stems are a sign that they are soft and tender. The greener, the more fibrous they become.
Speaking of leaves: What can you actually do with them? Read here!
It is therefore worth harvesting as early as possible, but this does not mean that you should harvest everything at once, as this would unnecessarily weaken the rhubarb. However, about half of all stems are perfectly acceptable.
How long can you harvest rhubarb?
And until when can you harvest and eat rhubarb? The season usually ends officially between June 21st and 24th. Theoretically, you could continue harvesting afterwards, but the taste would probably not be what you want. Over time, the plant produces more and more of the so-called oxalic acid. The quantities are not harmful to health, but change the taste of the pulp more and more.
In principle, it doesn’t matter what time of day you harvest the rhubarb. In some vegetables this has some effect on nitrate levels, but this is not the case with this plant.
You can read here how to care for rhubarb.
Can you harvest rhubarb despite flowering?
Normally part of rhubarb care is to break out the flower buds in April, but at the latest in May. Otherwise, since the plant will put its energy into bud formation, the stems will get less nutrients if you skip this step. Accordingly, breaking out gives you stronger plant stems to harvest. But what if you forgot this step and the vegetables are now blooming?
Can you harvest rhubarb when it’s in bloom?
Yes, rhubarb stalks are edible even though they are in bloom, but the harvest can then be smaller. So if you’re not after big yields, that’s no problem. The flowers then even have a decorative effect in the garden and also benefit insects. What you may not know is that the flowers are also edible and can be steamed in water for this purpose.
This is how it is harvested properly
The poles are not cut off, as one might think at first glance. If you want to harvest rhubarb properly, proceed as follows instead:
- Grab the stem as close to the ground as possible.
- Then pull it while rotating it in any direction.
- Some prefer to pull the stalk out of the ground with a jerk.
What you could do with the harvested sticks now, you ask? Have a look here!