I often give advice on forums relating to rhubarb. The advice is manure, manure, manure. It can’t get enough. I rarely water and when transplanting put it directly into a hole filled with… Manure.
That’s it really. I do like boasting about its size!
Posts Tagged rhubarb
Rhubarb
Just a quick update on the rhubarb. See, you can transplant it in the middle of a dry summer during full growth and it just doesn’t care. You can’t kill it if you plant it in manure!
Spring has sprung!
This weekend we’ve done a bit of tidying, painting, put the decking down properly by the side of the shed (see below)
Spring has sprung! First few leaves of rhubarb sneaking through the manure
Our neighbours gave us some elephant garlic last year and we planted it straight in our raised beds – we’re already seeing the results
And the first real indicator, not only did my pruning effort not kill the cherry plum but it’s in flower.
The rest showing our new cloches, the first outdoor seeds being sown and our kitties. We’ve also cat proofed the bed we’ll be using for the brassicas this year by laying branches all over it.
Last of the plants
Today was the last day at the plot. Yes, technically we’ve “lost the plot” but not in a nasty way. We decided to give it up early – I’m proud to say it wasn’t a letter or calls from the committee that drive us to it, but due to or new house, my wife’s erratic shift work and the relocation of my job we couldn’t get down of a weekend.
We’re moving to the plot closer to home though, so the blog will continue all be it more of a gardeners blog. I still get the community as both neighbours are happy chatters and we swap tips and experience, so no loss there.
Today we moved the last of the plants, strawberries, gooseberries, rhubarb, blackcurrant, redcurrant, grape etc all were dug up and moved – along with a lot of junk.
The plot does look a bit empty and sad, especially since I strimmed it so there’s only a few overgrown raised beds left. It’s nice and ready now for a new owner to take it on, so hopefully it’ll get taken over quick!
Rhubarb and Apple Chutney
I’m sorry, I’m about to to mention the ‘C’ word even though we’re in May – it’s time to think of CHRISTMAS (you were thinking Chutney was going to be it didn’t you…)
The recipe is “Christmas Spiced Apple & Rhubarb Chutney”, and the current batch (and infact all batches as I’m not a big chutney fan) were made by my wife. It’ll be ready just in time for Christmas as chutney takes a while to mature.
Ingredients:
1.5KG Rhubarb
500g onions
500g red eating apples
1.5 cups sultanas
1KG soft brown sugar
1.25L apple cider vinegar
4tsp salt
1tsp cayenne pepper
1tsp ground cloves
1tsp ground cinnamon
2tsp ground ginger
Instructions:
Peel & thinly slice the onions, core but don’t peel the apples but thinly slice them. Cut the rhubarb into chunks (1-2″).
Put it all into a stainless steel or enamel pot and bring it up to the simmer. Simmer for two hours, stirring every 15 minutes as it reduces it gets thicker.
Wash and sterlise the jars & lids. Pour the chutney into a warm jar & place lids on straight away. Leave to cool.
The original recipe was taken & adapted from a member (frizz1974 originally taken and adapted from a link from Minerva) of the Jamie Oliver website. Enjoy
