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Every year, lovers of the sour sticks look forward to the rhubarb finally being ready to be harvested. At the end of March or beginning of April the rhubarb is ripe. But beware, the harvest season does not last long. How long can rhubarb be harvested? Why is the period for the rhubarb harvest so limited? What is the significance of St. John's Day? We explain the background.
Harvest time of rhubarb
The rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum), which comes from the Himalayas, is not a fruit, as expected, it is a vegetable. A vegetable from which, after all, you can prepare a delicious cake, as well as juices, jellies and jams. In addition, Rheum rhabarbarum is considered to be very healthy. It contains a lot of healthy vitamins and minerals. 100 grams of rhubarb stalks contain:
- 10 milligrams of vitamin C
- 270 milligrams of potassium
- 50 milligrams of calcium
- 25 milligrams of phosphorus
- 460 milligrams of oxalic acid
Red and green rhubarb varieties are known. It is true that the stronger the red color of the sticks, the milder their taste.
tip: Rhubarb dishes are perfect for losing weight. The vegetables have a draining effect, contain hardly any fat and are very low in calories.
St. John's Day
June 24, St. John's Day, is the day of the birth of John the Baptist. It is exactly six months before Christmas Eve, the birth of Jesus. St. John's Day is one of the days off. Lost days are days that allow an outlook on the development of the weather in the coming months and an outlook on the harvest.
June 24th has a special significance for the rhubarb and asparagus harvest. The last asparagus cutting takes place on Johanni, the so-called "Asparagus New Year's Eve". You should also not harvest rhubarb stalks after June 24th.
The reasons for limiting the harvest time:
- Oxalic acid content increases
- Plants need a rest
oxalic acid
The rhubarb leaves in particular have a high oxalic acid content. They are not edible. The concentration of oxalic acid in the stems is also very high at 460 milligrams per 100 grams.
Notes on rhubarb consumption:
- safe for healthy adults
- only recommended in small amounts for children
- not recommended for people with kidney or bile disorders
- negative impact on teeth and gums
As summer approaches, the oxalic acid content in rhubarb increases. This decides how long the harvest can take place. Even if the spears still ripen after St. John's Day, they should no longer be eaten.
by the way: In traditional Chinese medicine, not only the stalks but also the rhubarb roots play an important role.
recovery time
Like asparagus, the vegetable requires a longer period of time to regenerate. The plant can only develop optimally if this is observed. The sheep cold ends on St. John's Day. This leads to a growth spurt in many plants. Rhubarb plants also produce new shoots at this time. You should not harvest these spears. They form the basis for a high-yield harvest next year.
If you still eat rhubarb stalks from your own garden at the beginning of July, you don't have to worry about your health right away. From mid-July at the latest, you should definitely give up the sour indulgence.
Harvest rhubarb
When the rhubarb stalks and leaves are smooth and no longer wavy, the stalks are ripe. They are about two to three centimeters thick. Ripe rhubarb stalks are nice and firm. When harvesting, the stalks are not cut off, but twisted out. Only harvest enough to leave at least a third of the stalks. A full harvest weakens the rhubarb plant.
It is recommended to remove the rhubarb flowers. This stimulates the formation of new shoots.
tip: In the first year, the stalks of young rhubarb plants should not be harvested.