Your 2025 Garden

[jxp]

Not sure where to start. Need to finish one job today before I start another. It's getting harder and harder to keep the momentum going. If my back is working the weather is bad. If the weather is good my back wants to go on a labor strike.

I feel ya. The energy boost that comes with spring fever is definitely fading as the rises. Then there's the sheer number of half finished projects competing for attention.

 

[R2elk]

Wild strawberry

 

[jxp]

Civilized strawberry

 

[Sally PB]

Has anyone here divided a rhubarb plant? When and how do you do it? How do you know when it's time to divide?

I've read it's time if the plant flowers, and I've removed 3 flowers from my "big" plant.

 

[Sally PB]

I'm making a second batch of rhubarb jam today. I added a bit of clove to my recipe, and oh, wow! is it tasty!

 

[R2elk]

Has anyone here divided a rhubarb plant? When and how do you do it? How do you know when it's time to divide?

I've read it's time if the plant flowers, and I've removed 3 flowers from my "big" plant.

I don't divide my rhubarb plant as such. I do take a "cutting" from time to time to give away.

It may well be a variety thing. I have 3 separate Canada Rhubarb plants. Only one of them has attempted to bloom. The main one tried to bloom once with 2 or 3 blossom shoots. I cut them off and that was the end of that.

My Victoria Rhubarb plant wanted to do nothing but bloom and was a constant job of removing blossom stalks until I dug the whole plant out.

I have another variety (name escapes me) that also always wants to bloom and is a constant fight removing the blossom stalks.

The last plant is one bought from Gurneys as part of a sale off of their breeding program plants. It hasn't done much of anything and has not tried blooming either.

 

[tripletfeb]

I'm making a second batch of rhubarb jam today. I added a bit of clove to my recipe, and oh, wow! is it tasty!

Recipe?

 

[Sally PB]

Sally's Rhubarb Jam

12 cups rhubarb, cut into small pieces
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/8 teaspoon cloves
3/8 cup lemon juice

Mix the rhubarb and sugar in a bowl, and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight to macerate.
Transfer the rhubarb/sugar mix to a stainless steel pan. Stir in the cinnamon, cloves, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, boil for 20 minutes, then simmering until it's jam consistency. Stir often to keep it from scorching.
Pour into prepared pint or half pint jars. Process in a water bath, 10 minutes for half pints, 15 minutes for pints.
Makes about 4 pints; 7-8 half pints.

Note: this recipe has a LOT less sugar than most of the ones I've found. If you think it's too sour, you can add more.

 

[tripletfeb]

Sally's Rhubarb Jam

12 cups rhubarb, cut into small pieces
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/8 teaspoon cloves
3/8 cup lemon juice

Mix the rhubarb and sugar in a bowl, and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight to macerate.
Transfer the rhubarb/sugar mix to a stainless steel pan. Stir in the cinnamon, cloves, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, boil for 20 minutes, then simmering until it's jam consistency. Stir often to keep it from scorching.
Pour into prepared pint or half pint jars. Process in a water bath, 10 minutes for half pints, 15 minutes for pints.
Makes about 4 pints; 7-8 half pints.

Note: this recipe has a LOT less sugar than most of the ones I've found. If you think it's too sour, you can add more.

No pectin needed?

 

[jxp]

Living in "not rhubarb territory" it is a rare commodity in these parts. Being a rare commodity, only transplants such as myself look for it at the grocery or know what a treat it can be. Usually I'll see it at Sprouts for a week or two. It is too rare and costly to get more than enough for a few strawberry rhubarb pies. Wishing much enjoyment to those of you in less scorching summer climates.