About Rhubarb Victoria

Long established, popular main-crop variety producing an abundant yield of large thick red stalks. The stalks are not tough or stringy but are juicy and sweet with a tart punch! A very good low maintencance crop that is very hardy & excellent for pies and preserves. Crop lightly in the first year then regularly from the second year onwards. Will do best in a position of full sun.

• Self fertile
• Plant 2m apart
• Height & Spread 1m x 1m
• Crops Main Season

A staple of traditional summer cooking, the rhubarbs tart, but sweet taste has been backed into pies, crumbles and cakes for years. The champagne is an easy to grow early cultivator, producing tall and beautiful red stems surrounded with bumpy glossy-green leaves that create a colourful and space filling display. The flavour of your rhubarb will vary depending on the age of the stems with younger stems being slightly sweeter. This makes older stems ideal for baking as their sweetness won't overpower the cake or bread you are making. Just remember, the leaves are toxic and shouldn't be eaten.

Plant your rhubarb in a sunny location with moist, but well-draining soil as waterlogged roots are more likely to rot. Avoid planting in places that receive late frosts since young stems may be damaged by it. Mix a well rotten manure into the soil before planting to get good, healthy growth. You can plant rhubarb in containers, but you must choose a pot of at least 50 cm (20in) deep and wide. Anything smaller will result in stunted growth. Keep the ground free of weeds and you may benefit from coving young plants with a cloche or plant pot to help early growth.

How do I harvest rhubarb?

It is best not to harvest any rhubarb stems for the first year. In the following year the plant should be well established and you can pick stalks between April or May. Although the stalks are edible all through the summer it best not to harvest after June to avoid weakening the plant for winter. To harvest, hold the stalk at the base and ease it out of the ground. Avoid snapping the stalk as it may damage the whole plant.