I have always wanted to grow rhubarb and asparagus.
When we moved to Kentucky, it took a couple of years to get the garden set up. Vince was not a gardener and I think he thought it was something I’d get over if he put it off long enough .. but I didn’t so he built me a garden. I wanted asapragus and rhubarb and he said “It takes three years for asparagus and a couple of years for rhubarb. We won’t be here three years.” We were there 9-1/2 years. I never planted any. We got to Missouri and same thing . . we won’t be here three years. We were there four years but didn’t have the garden the first year so asparagus would not have been a good investment there.
We got to Texas and thought that was our forever location so I planted asparagus and . . you know how that went. It did great there and we had plenty of asparagus. I still have a bit left that I freeze dried. Rhubarb would have been an annual in Texas and even with that, I doubt it would have grown there.
Here, rhubarb and asparagus grow well. In last night’s master gardener class they were talking about rhubarb and asparagus being the only perennial vegetable that grows well here. That was nice to hear since we have both.
This is a picture taken probably two months ago of the asparagus.
Here’s what the asparagus bed looks like today.
It has grown and really filled out.
You can see where I planted each root crown and how many stalks grew from each. I know you’re not supposed to but I cut enough asparagus for us to eat several times. In the probably 7 years of having asparagus in Texas, I never had to thin it but I’ll bet I have to thin this after next year or for sure the third year.
As far as the rhubarb, I could not find that anywhere so I ordered “starts”, which were tiny little seedlings. I repotted them all and here’s what they look like today.
It’s grown a lot! I’m not sure if the best thing to do with it is plant it in the ground in the next few weeks and mulch it really well before the freezing starts or if I’d have better luck trying to keep it alive inside til spring. It’s getting a bit spindly so I’m thinking putting it outside and mulching it would be a better idea.
I’m thinking I’ll plant it, get Vince to make something like a little chicken wire dome to cover the whole row. I’ll mulch it around the base with mulch but then try to keep a good cover of leaves. Hopefully the chicken wire will keep the leaves in place and then when it’s really cold . . like if it gets into the -20’s again this year, I can cover it with plastic and clothespin the plastic to the chicken wire.
Even last year when we had almost two weeks of nights into the -20’s, my friend’s rhubarb was fine outside but it was established.
Anyone have any thoughts? Thanks!
Donnalyn says
WOW, what I would give to have an asparagus bed like that! With the rhubarb I would plant half and keep half in the garage or maybe a small corner in Vince’s shop over winter. We live in Ontario Canada and the rhubarb does really well and our winters are much harsher than yours. Even when we lived in northern Ontario our rhubarb was great, and our winters there were really long and extra cold.
Kathy says
Rhubarb comes back without any difficulty here in Alaska, and we have already had below freezing temperatures overnight and 1 snow. I think if you put it outside now so the roots get established, it will be fine. We don’t cover ours here at all. One of the first signs of spring for me is those little pink knobs peeking out of the ground. If all those starts take, you’re going to have a LOT of rhubarb.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
WOW! Alaska! Then I’m for sure not worried about mine.
Stitchin in MI says
Rhubarb does really well here in mid Michigan zone 5.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Great to know. Thanks!
Tee says
Put it in now, let it grow, don’t worry about covering it, let it die back on its own. If it doesn’t come back, I will send you some crowns from my plants that have been in my ground for 20 years and my aunt’s ground for at least 50 before that. I have given crowns and plants to many, many people. Even if yours come back, remind me to send you some next spring. You could cut mine the first year you put it in. We say rhubarb can’t be beaten into submission up here in Minnesota, where we get much colder winters than yours.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Yes if it survives your winters, it should be fine here. Does yours die back in the summer? Here, my friend’s looks really ragged and like it’s dead but he says it will come back.
Tee says
It doesn’t die back but yes, “ragged” is what it looks like. You can still find stalks to cook with, although most say to stop pulling after July or so. I have never held to that. If I am in the mood for rhubarb, I pull it. I have 5 or 6 plants, just because that spot can hold that many and I don’t have anything else to put there. I have a small row of asparagus behind it. Both do well and the rhubarb is the first thing that comes up in spring. Sometimes before the snow is gone. It is on the south side of an outbuilding that is painted red, so the ground is pretty warm there.
montanaclarks says
My rhubarb dies back in the winter but pops up in the spring and Montana winters aren’t for sissies! I usually give away most of my rhubarb as anything you make–a dessert, jam, etc. requires so, so much sugar.