Rhubarb

Rhubarb is a very old plant. Its medicinal uses and horticulture have been recorded in history since ancient China.  Rhubarb likes to have fertile, well drained soil, so a couple of weeks ago I top dressed it some compost and steer manure to help it along. When you harvest the stalks, be sure to toss the leaves of the rhubarb plant into your compost, as they contain oxalic acid (in other words... don't eat the leaves!). It won't hurt the compost a bit.  Harvest by grasping each leafstalk near the base and pulling it slightly to one side. Stalks can also be cut with a knife. To help keep the plants moist and their roots cool, in the heat of the summer, I like to put an inch or two of straw around the plants.  As the leaves/stalks die back pick them off and compost them.  Mine is starting to come up now and I can hardly wait for enough to cook with! Personally, I like it in Rhubarb Cake.