Rhubarb Silver Beet
2
H1lirL~irr.h ste177.r sirorrld be picked with n do~vrlward pull so that they corne nwny fronz the crown without leaving n strrb. Rhubarb (Rheunz rhaponticum) a perennial plant, does not come into the normal garden crop rota - tion, and a special bed should be prepared where it can remain for some years. As with all peren nial crops, success in growing rhubarb depends largely on the initial pre - paration an d building up o f the soil before planting. A large quantity o f organic manure should be worked into the low er layers o f th e soil, ou t o f th e range o f th e ro ot s o f newly plant ed set s. No stems should, be pulled for the first year after planting, an d pickings should be light during the second year. Good drainage and heavy annual manurial dressings will keep the plants producing, but after the fifth year from planting the crowns should be lifted, divided and replanted, using only the younger outside buds. Most varieties do not produce stems all the year round, and a range o f sets from th e main varieties Stone's Ever -bearing, Sydney Crimson, Wilson's Ruby, Wandin Giant and Topp's Winter should therefore be planted. These will give a succession o f harv est dates covering almost the full year. Five plants wil l provide a reasonable supply for the average family. Rhubarb can be grown from seed, but seedlings are not always true to type. Where it is diff icu lt to get sets, seed can be sown during the winter and transplanted in the spring. The plants will grow enough stem to allow their quality to be assesse d. Those selected can be grown on for another season before being set out in the per - manen t beds. Where obtainable, sets are the most satisfactory method o f propagating rhubarb in the home garden. Soil preparation and fertilisers The rhubarb bed must be well drained. Th e bed should be trenched before planting, even if the ground has been trenched before. When trenching the sub - soil, as much organic manure as can be spared should be dug into the subsoil and the lower topsoil. A 150 to 200 mm layer would not be too much. A liberal dressing o f NPK 5 : 8 : 4 complete fertiliser should be worked into the top soil. Planting sets The sets are taken from estab- lished clumps. Each sh ould have one or two buds . Obtain sets from a reliable source so that the right seasonal varieties will be planted. As old crowns develop decay and rots, it is advisable to dip sets taken from them in a fun- gicide spraying solution, such as Bordeaux or other copper fun - gicide before planting. Plant the sets at a depth which will bring their buds just above soil level after allowing for settle - ment o f the surroun ding soil. Space the plants 800 mm apart and make the rows one metre apart. Cultivation Rhubarb requires heavy feeding durin g the winter. Apply 150 g o f NPK 6 : 6 : 6 complete fertiliser to the metre around the plants, and fork it into the soil. This can be supplemented during the growing season by application of liquid manure. Rhubarb should be watered liberally in summer. A mulch helps to retain moistur e. Break off a ny flowe r buds as soon as they appear. Flower development ex - hausts the crown. Harvesting The stems, which may be picked at any stage, should be taken with a downward pull so that they come away from the crown with - out lea ving a stub. Pick the out - side stems first, always leaving some of the centre stems to pro- tect later shoots. Several stems should be allowed to matu re on the plan t. Seasonal picking ce ases when th e later stems deteriorate in size. The plants should never be completely strip ped o f stems. Some must be allowed to remain to mature and ripen off naturally.
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Transcript of Rhubarb Silver Beet
8/7/2019 Rhubarb Silver Beet
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ste177.r sirorrld be picked with
do~vrlward pull so that they corne
nwny fronz the crown without leavingn strrb.
Rhubarb (Rheunz rhaponticum) aperennial plant, does not comeinto the normal garden crop rota-tion, and a special bed should beprepared where it can remain forsome years. As with all perennial
crops, success in growing rhubarbdepends largely on the initial pre-paration and building up of thesoil before planting.
A large quantity of organicmanure should be worked into thelower layers of the soil, out of therange of the roots of newly plantedsets. No stems should, be pulledfor the first year after planting,and pickings should be light duringthe second year.
Good drainage and heavyannual manurial dressings willkeep the plants producing, butafter the fifth year from plantingthe crowns should be lifted,divided and replanted, using onlythe younger outside buds.
Most varieties do not producestems all the year round, and a
range of sets from the mainvarieties Stone's Ever-bearing,Sydney Crimson, Wilson's Ruby,Wandin Giant and Topp's Wintershould therefore be planted. Thesewill give a succession of harvestdates covering almost the fullyear. Five plants will provide areasonable supply for the averagefamily.
Rhubarb can be grown fromseed, but seedlings are not always
true to type. Where it is difficultto get sets, seed can be sownduring the winter and transplantedin the spring.
The plants will grow enoughstem to allow their quality to beassessed. Those selected can begrown on for another seasonbefore being set out in the per-manent beds. Where obtainable,sets are the most satisfactorymethod of propagating rhubarb in
the home garden.
Soil preparation and fertilisers
The rhubarb bed must be welldrained. The bed should betrenched before planting, even if the ground has been trenchedbefore. When trenching the sub-soil, as much organic manure ascan be spared should be dug intothe subsoil and the lower topsoil.A 150 to 200mm layer would notbe too much. A liberal dressingof NPK 5 : 8 : 4 completefertiliser should be worked into thetop soil.
Planting setsThe sets are taken from estab-lished clumps. Each should haveone or two buds. Obtain setsfrom a reliable source so that theright seasonal varieties will be
planted. As old crowns develop
decay and rots, it is advisable todip sets taken from them in a fun-gicide spraying solution, such asBordeaux or other copper fun-gicide before planting.
Plant the sets at a depth whichwill bring their buds just abovesoil level after allowing for settle-ment of the surrounding soil.
Space the plants800
mm apartand make the rows one metreapart.
CultivationRhubarb requires heavy feeding
during the winter. Apply 150 g
of NPK 6 : 6 : 6 completefertiliser to the metre around theplants, and fork it into the soil.This can be supplemented duringthe growing season by application
of liquid manure.Rhubarb should be wateredliberally in summer. A mulchhelps to retain moisture. Break off any flower buds as soon as theyappear. Flower development ex-hausts the crown.
HarvestingThe stems, which may be pickedat any stage, should be taken witha downward pull so that they
come away from the crown with-out leaving a stub. Pick the out-side stems first, always leavingsome of the centre stems to pro-tect later shoots.
Several stems should be allowed
to mature on the plant. Seasonalpicking ceases when the later stemsdeteriorate in size. The plantsshould never be completelystripped of stems. Some must beallowed to remain to mature and
ripen off naturally.
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Salsify andScorzoneraSalsify (Tragopogon porrifolius)it is very like parsnip and is cul-tivated in much the same way.Salsify makes a soup which has anoyster-like flavor, or can be cookedin the same way as parsnip. The
roots store well in the ground forup to six months.
Soil preparation and cultivationSalsify is deep rooted and may beup to 50 mm in diameter at thetop. Soil should be well prepared.Dig the bed deeply and dig in com-post or animal manure. Salsifywill do well without additional fer-tiliser in soil which has previouslygrown a leaf crop and has been
well manured.Sow seed in the spring or
summer in shallow drills. Coverseeds with 10 mm of soil and thinto 100 mm when the seedlings are50 mm high.
Salsify is ready for use in fiveto six months. Roots should belifted carefully with a fork, notpulled. A good quality root shouldbe as symmetrical and tapered asa small parsnip.
Scorzonera (Scorzonera his-
panica) is a close relative to thesalsify and is grown in exactly thesame way. I t is used and cookedlike parsnip. *zonera and Salsify.
Cooking SaZisfy and ScononeraThe roots should be gently scrapedbefore cooking to remove only athin layer of outer peel. This canalso be done by first boiling the
root to soften the skin. Beforecooking, soak the peeled root inwater containing lemon juice.Salsify can be boiled, mashed,baked or fried, as well as beingused for soups.
Silver beetSilver Beet (Beta vulgaris) igrown easily and provides a6
ditional greens during the winterIt is a true beet but forms leaverather than bulbs. In New SoutWales it is known as spinach.
Cultural requirements are thsame as for beetroot. Seed ca
be sown from January througMarch, and again in August andSeptember in the south and in thsummer and early autumn in thnorth of Victoria.
Soil requirements and fertilisersLike beetroot, silver beet does nolike an acid soil and liming mabe necessary. It should be growwithout a check. Apply a goobase dressing of fowl manure an
75 to 150 g of NPK 5 : 8 :complete fertiliser. Side-dressingof sulphate of ammonia, 30 g t
each metre of drill row, will maintain good growth.
Sowing and cultivationSow seed in drills 500 mm aparand 20 mm deep. When seedlings are 50 mm high thin to 30
mm apart. Thinnings can btransplanted in another row
Leaves are pulled off like rhubarleaves and the leaf stalk and thleaf cooked either together oseparately. Discard older outeleaves if picking is not regular.
S ~ l v e rbeet I S easy to g r ow and provides additional greens during the I r i t~rer.
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