How to Harvest and Preserve Rhubarb
Learn how to harvest and preserve rhubarb the easy way to enjoy rhubarb all year round. Rhubarb is a delicious addition to any of your favourite baked goods. Don’t let your bountiful rhubarb go to waste!
When you click on an affiliate link to Amazon from our website and make a purchase, we receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. See full disclosure here.
Rhubarb is one of the most delicious and generous perennial plants you can grow in your back yard. There’s nothing quite like the tartness you get from rhubarb which pairs perfectly with the sweetness of a baked good or stewed on top of vanilla ice cream.
What is rhubarb?
Rhubarb is a large plant known for its tart, tangy stalks that are perfect for baking and cooking. While technically a vegetable, it’s often used like a fruit in sweet treats like pies, crumbles, and jams. Rhubarb stalks can be deep red, pink, or even green, adding a pop of colour to your dishes. Rhubarb is also a perennial, which means it comes back every year on its own! Just remember, the leaves are toxic, so stick to the stalks!
What are some health benefits of rhubarb?
Rich in Nutrients: Rhubarb is low in calories and contains essential nutrients like vitamin K, vitamin C, potassium, and manganese.
Digestive Health: It contains dietary fiber, which can support digestive health by promoting regular bowel movements and preventing constipation.
Antioxidant Properties: Rhubarb is rich in antioxidants, which help fight oxidative stress and inflammation in the body.
Bone Health: Vitamin K in rhubarb supports bone health.
When to Harvest Rhubarb
Rhubarb is best harvested in the spring, typically from April to June, when the stalks are firm. For mature plants, continue to harvest throughout the growing season, but stop by late summer to give the plant time to replenish its energy for the next year. Always leave a few stalks on the plant to ensure it continues to thrive.
If you’ve just planted a new rhubarb plant, avoid harvesting during the first year to allow the plant to establish itself.
How to Harvest Rhubarb
When harvesting rhubarb, look for stalks that are long, firm, crisp, and about 10-15 inches long. They should be bright red, some green is okay. You can either grab and twist at the base of the stem or use pruning shears to harvest the stalks. Be sure to only harvest about 1/3 of the plant at a time to give stalks and leaves more time to photosynthesize and multiply.
What To Do With Toxic Rhubarb Leaves
Rhubarb leaves are toxic to humans and animals but can be used in a couple of ways:
- Natural Pest Deterrent: place the leaves in a bucket and submerge with water. Let soak overnight and use the water the next day to spray your plants.
- Weed Suppressor: lay large leaves over patches of weeds you want killed. Weigh leaves down with rocks and let the lack of light kill the weeds below.
- Compost
Preserving Rhubarb
The quick and easy way to preserve rhubarb is by chopping the stalks and freezing them in large freezer bags. This preserves it in a timely manner, allowing you to harvest consistently without being overwhelmed with figuring out what to do with pounds of fresh rhubarb!
This method also works for buying rhubarb in bulk from the farmers market or the store. Chopped rhubarb freezes wonderfully and because rhubarb isn’t usually eaten raw, it works great from frozen for most recipes.
What To Make With Rhubarb
There are endless things you can make with chopped and frozen rhubarb. My favourite things include:
- Rhubarb & Walnut Muffins
- Apple Rhubarb Crumble Bars
- Berry Rhubarb Crumble
- Rhubarb & Honey Jam
- Stewed Rhubarb Vanilla Ice Cream
- Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
- Lemon Rhubarb Water Kefir
How to Harvest and Preserve Rhubarb
For this task, you will need:
- Harvest basket
- Pruning shears or your hands
- A mature rhubarb plant
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Large ziploc freezer bags
Instructions
- Select Mature Stalks: Look for bright red or green stalks that are strong, crisp, and about 10-15 inches long.
- Harvesting: Using pruning shears, cut the stalks at the base. If using your hands, twist the stalks at the base to release them without pulling out any roots.
- Manage the Plant: Harvest only about 1/3 of the plant to allow the rest to grow for future harvests.
- Prepare in the Kitchen: Once inside, remove the large leaves as they are toxic. Set the leaves aside and rinse the stalks under cold water to clean off any dirt or debris.
- Chop and Store: Cut the rhubarb stalks into 1/4-inch pieces using a sharp knife, grouping 3-5 stalks together at a time. Place the chopped rhubarb in a large zip-top freezer bag, filling it 3/4 full.
- Freeze: Squeeze out as much air as possible from the bag, seal it, lay it flat, and freeze. The frozen rhubarb is ready to use directly in any recipe—enjoy!
Notes
Refer to text to learn what to do with rhubarb leaves.
Harvest & Preserve Rhubarb
Equipment
- Pruning shears or your hands
- Sharp knife
Ingredients
- Harvest basket
- A mature rhubarb plant
- Cutting board
- Large Ziploc freezer bags
Instructions
- Identify bright red and green stalks that are mature, strong, crisp, and about 10-15 inches long.
- Cut rhubarb stalk at the base with pruning shears. If harvesting with your hands, grab and twist at the base to release stalk. Do not pull out any roots!
- Harvest about 1/3 of your plant, leave the rest to develop and harvest later.
- Bring harvested stalks into your kitchen and remove the large leaves as they are toxic. Put leaves aside.
- Rinse the stalks under cold water to remove dirt or debrise.
- Chop rhubarb stalks about 1/4 inch thick with a sharp knife in groups of 3-5 stalks.
- Place chopped rhubarb in a large ziploc freezer bag until 3/4 full.
- Remove as much air as possible from the full freezer bag and seal.
- Lay flat and freeze.
- Use from frozen in any rhubarb recipe and enjoy!
Notes
Recommended Reading
