Pucker up: Together with strawberries and roses, June is time for rhubarb selecting

Years in the past, when my now-grown daughter Justine was a toddler, we visited a U-pick farm the place she plucked plump, ripe strawberries from a discipline of sprawling vegetation. Some made it into the basket on that sunny June day; others went instantly into her mouth.

That’s when she realized that June is for strawberries. It’s for roses, too, which is smart when you think about that each vegetation are members of the Rosacea household.

And, as I realized on the farm that day, June can be for rhubarb, which I had by no means seen earlier than.

Following the lead of different strawberry pickers ready to pay for his or her loot, I added a bunch of rhubarb to my cart, questioning aloud what I’d do with it. My fellow customers educated me about pies and jams, so I went dwelling with a mission to organize and learn to develop the alien, pink, celery-like stalks.

I’ve since realized that rhubarb is a well-liked June harvest in New England and a few north-central and Midwestern states, the place strawberry-rhubarb pie reigns supreme. It’s not fairly as unusual in my New York dwelling because it was all these years in the past, however I’d hardly name it a staple.

The excellent news is that for individuals who have problem discovering it on the grocery store – or just wish to develop their very own – including rhubarb to the backyard is a worthwhile endeavor, albeit one which requires persistence.

Perennial in horticultural zones 3-8, rhubarb may be anticipated to return and produce for as much as 10 years. Plant their crowns, that are bare-roots, in fall or in spring when the climate continues to be cool. They will unfold, so give them room by setting them 3-4 ft aside in equally spaced rows. Bury their buds, or “eyes,” 2 inches under the soil line, guaranteeing they face upward in compost-enriched soil.

Keep vegetation well-watered and, when the climate warms up, apply 2 inches of mulch to retain moisture, discourage weeds and regulate soil temperature. Then apply a slow-release, balanced fertilizer with a 10-10-10 ratio of vitamins.

Do not harvest any stalks throughout rhubarb’s first yr in your backyard. Doing so would imperil the plant’s longevity. But take away flowers and their stems so the plant can channel its vitality into root progress as an alternative of seed manufacturing. Replenish mulch in late fall, after temperatures drop.

You can begin harvesting – sparingly – within the plant’s second yr, eradicating not more than 4 stalks per plant when they’re pink (until you’re rising a pink or inexperienced selection) and between 12-18 inches lengthy. Taking extra would threat sapping the plant of vitality, which would cut back future output, so observe restraint.

You might harvest freely throughout and after the third yr, however by no means take away greater than two-thirds of a single plant.

Rhubarb leaves are toxic, so take away and discard them earlier than slicing the stalks into 1-inch items for cooking.

I repeat: Do not eat the leaves.

Admittedly, I used to be skeptical after my first tasting of a uncooked, sour-bitter rhubarb stalk all these years in the past. But, with my mouth nonetheless puckered and fingers crossed, I went forward and added chunks of it to my strawberry pie filling. The pie was scrumptious, in fact; its candy berries offset and completely complemented by the acidic tang of the rhubarb. I used to be an prompt – and astonished — convert.

The vegetable, thought to be a fruit simply as tomatoes are fruits generally thought to be greens, isn’t a one-trick pony, both. It works equally nicely in jams, relish, muffins and even simmered for 10 minutes, then blended with fruit into smoothies. Try roasting, stewing, sautéing and serving over ice cream, or including it to apple sauce recipes. Just don’t neglect the sweetener.

Get extra recipes and dinner concepts from The Washington Times meals part.