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Rhubarb is actually a very useful food. It is a good source of Emodin, which has gentle laxative properties. IMHO, it's better to eat foods that gently facilit
by teslabox 7y ago
Rhubarb is actually a very useful food. It is a good source of Emodin, which has gentle laxative properties. IMHO, it's better to eat foods that gently facilitate bowel movements than than to rely on laxatives.
I've been growing rhubarb for several years now. It comes back by itself every spring, and can be frozen for off-season use. The rabbits and gophers won't eat it, because the leaves are rather toxic to us animals (the stalks are perfectly edible, either cooked or raw). All I have to do is make sure my plants get adequate water.
This spring I bought three more bare rhubarb roots when they first appeared at the garden store. Last spring I bought bare root rhubarb late in the spring, when they were half-off, but they never grew.
The instructions say to not harvest any stalks the first year, so the plant can put energy into its root. When I bought my first plant it was already a year or two old. The garden center guy said to cut the bottom out of the pot it came in and put that over the plant, so the stalks would have to 'stretch' to reach sunlight.
Here's a random page about forcing, as this bbc article mentions: http://rhubarbinfo.com/forcing http://rhubarbinfo.com/forcing
My blog post about Rhubarb as a 'functional food':
https://radialappliance.teslabox.com/2017/06/pie-plant-rhubarb-as-functional-food-in-the-cayce-readings/ https://radialappliance.teslabox.com/2017/06/pie-plant-rhuba...
I think Rhubarb roots can be split when they get big enough, sort of like bulbs, but I haven't gotten to that point yet.
- arethuza 7y agoWe have a couple of established rhubarb plants in our garden that have been quite productive - I've just planted a dozen rhubarb seeds, although it says it'll be 2 years before I can actually pick anything (assuming they grow).
- chewz 7y agoRhubarb makes for great rhubarb pie and compote. I love the taste in a season. I still remember when as a student I were climbing and in a mountain shelter rhubarb pie was served at 5pm. Such a treat. But it contains a lot of calcium oxalate and potassium oxalate so watch for kidney stones.
- chrisseaton 7y ago> Rhubarb is actually a very useful food. Who do you think you're arguing against? This is a whole article about how it's useful for a lot of things.
- braythwayt 7y agoOr possibly the OP is arguing against generally held preconceptions. As in, "Lamborghinis are actually lower in CO2 emissions than the average coupe on an annual basis, because their owners drive them so little."
- chrisseaton 7y agoSeems funny to respond to an article that says X with 'Actually, X'. Doesn't 'actually' usually introduce an alternative view or a contradiction?
- HeWhoLurksLate 7y agoActually, yes it does introduce an alternate view or a contradiction, but it can also be used to intone superiority towards a subject matter or person.
- teslabox 7y agoI didn't appreciate the medicinal nature of Rhubarb until a few years ago. If I'd known how helpful it is, I would've started growing it a long time ago. > This is a whole article about how it's useful for a lot of things. I just re-skimmed the article. I didn't notice much/any discussion the medicinal properties of rhubarb, just how 'forcing' rhubarb makes it extra-sweet, and that rhubarb is used to flavor gin and cheese too.