Rhubarb
Background: A perennial plant, common in Europe and North America. Has a powerful brown-brown rhizome, which at the age of 4 years reaches a mass of 10 kg. In the upper part of it large red buds are formed, moving into growth after melting snow. In spring, large buds grow from the buds on long petioles. In the second year a stem is formed up to 2 m in height, it grows very quickly. Flowers are collected in paniculate inflorescences - small, yellowish-white, unattractive. The plant is cross-pollinated. Fruit is a triangular winged dark brown nutlet. Germination lasts 3-4 years. Propagated by seeds and division of a bush.
Requirements: frost-resistant, transfers the temperature to -30 ° C.Moist-loving;with a lack of moisture, the petioles become fibrous, bitter, but excess moisture, especially in spring, causes decay of the kidneys and rhizomes. For rhubarb does not fit sites with a high level of groundwater. He is not picky about the light, grows in the aisles of the garden, but when shading develops slowly. Very demanding of the soil, responsive to high doses of organic fertilizers. The soil should be of light mechanical composition, preferably on the southern or south-western slope. Under the digging( not less than 40 cm), half-overgrown manure is applied - 10-12 kg / m2, superphosphate - 20-25 g / m2 and potassium chloride - 15 g / m2.In the spring, rhodium is used for ammonium nitrate - 20-25 g / m2, superphosphate - 25-30 and potassium chloride - 15-20 g / m2.Potassium chloride can be completely or partially replaced with wood ash - 100-150 g / m2.
Ingredients: stems of root leaves of chard contain 5-9 % solids, up to 2 - sugars, 2.5 - organic acids, up to 2 % I pectin. And in the early spring, citric acid predominates in them, then the content of apple acid prevails, and oxalic accumulates in old petioles, which is why they are not suitable for food.
Rhubarb contains also salts of potassium, phosphorus, vitamins B, C and P. Early in the spring it can completely replace berries and fruits.
Cultivation: seedlings are grown in nurseries. The soil is fertilized with humus( 5-6 kg / m2), ammonium nitrate, superphosphate( 25-30) and potassium salt( 15 g / m2), digging and leveling its surface with rakes. Then, along the cord, furrows are made at a distance of 20-25 cm, they are moistened abundantly and seeds are sown. To accelerate the emergence of seedlings soak for 48 hours, changing 2-3 times the water, or germinate. Seedlings are planted in a permanent place in the holes 40-50 cm deep by the scheme 70 x 70 cm - for the early varieties and 90 x 90 - for the mid-ripening, with obligatory watering( 2-3 liters of water under the root).Plant so that the apical bud after the subsidence of the soil remains at the level of the surface of the soil.
Rhubarb propagate also vegetatively. In this 3-4-year-old bushes are cut to pieces so that each of them has 3-4 buds.
Varieties
Victoria - early ripening winter hardy. Gives the petioles of pink color, up to 50 cm long, 2.7-3 cm wide.
Large-caped - early maturing. Petioles are dark red, up to 80 cm long, 2.3 cm wide, juicy. Resistant to diseases. Moscow 42 - early maturing. Petioles large, at the base red, length 50, width 2.2 cm
Ogre 13( Ogres 13) - mid-ripening. Petioles juicy, tender, at the base of cherry, length 48, width 2.5 cm. The variety is relatively resistant to brown spots.
Tukums 5( Goukum 5) - is early maturing. Petioles are tender, juicy, at the base crimson, 50 cm long, 2.3 cm wide. Slightly affected by brown spotting and ascochitis.
Care: during the summer, the plants are fed with slurry, watered and loosened the soil.
Harvest: in the first year 2-3 petioles are collected from the plant, cautiously breaking them, in subsequent years - much more. The fees are repeated after 5-6 days. Finish cleaning in late July.
Use: from the petioles prepare borsch, soup, stuffing for pies, compotes, jam, jam, candied fruits, juices, kvass, they are added to salads, vinaigrette, eaten raw.