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Cultivation
Plant ¼" deep indoors,
6-8 weeks prior to last frost. After hardening off, transplant into deeply
cultivated, well-drained beds into which generous amounts of organic matter and
composted manure have been added. Final spacing should be 18-24".
Rhubarb is a cool season crop that requires
temperatures below 40° F to break dormancy and to stimulate good spring
growth. For growth to remain vigorous, summer temperatures should average
less than 75° F. This means that the Northern U.S. and Canada are best suited
for rhubarb production.
It is best to wait until the second year
before harvesting stalks and even then, be conservative. Pull the stalks instead
of cutting. Remove flower stalks as soon as you see them. You will not get full harvests until the third year.
Rhubarb plantings will be productive for 15 years or longer.
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Rhubarb Gone to Seed |
General poisoning notes
for rhubarb
The plant contains oxalate crystals, which have been
reported to cause poisoning when large quantities of raw or cooked leaves are
ingested. Anthraquinones (glycosides) have been implicated more recently in the
poisoning. The stalks are widely used as preserves and are also eaten raw,
without problems. The toxic content is much lower in the stalks. Humans have
been poisoned after ingesting the leaves. Human poisoning was a particular
problem in World War I, when the leaves were recommended as a food source in
Britain. Some animals, including goats and swine, have also been poisoned by
ingesting the leaves. Children should be taught to eat only the rhubarb stalks,
preferably under supervision (Robb 1919; Cooper and Johnson 1984).
References:
Cooper, M. R., Johnson, A. W. 1984. Poisonous
plants in Britain and their effects on animals and man. Her Majesty's
Stationery Office, London, England. 305 pp.
Robb, H. F. 1919. Death from rhubarb leaves due
to oxalic acid poisoning. J. Am. Med. Assoc., 73: 627-628.
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