Rhubarb: How I Longed for Thee

I have wanted to grow rhubarb for a very long time. If you haven't realized it by now, I truly love easy to grow prennials that can double as a food; hence, my love for rhubarb. However, my attempt to obtain a rhubarb plant has not been easy.

You see, several springs ago a friend was complaining that the rhubarb in her yard were growing out of control and she needed to dig them out. So I asked her if I could have some, even offering to dig them out myself. Of course she said it was fine, but time passed and it just never happened. When I asked her again the following spring (or two springs later, I think) she said the winter killed off most of the rhubarb in her garden and she only had one crown left. So, I started looking elsewhere, specifically I turned to the internet for free rhubarb plants on Twin Cities Free Market (a place online for residents of the Twin Cities "who want to give or get free reusable goods for the home, garage and garden"). I found several listings for free rhubarb, but wasn't able to get out to the location in time (early spring is the best time to transplant rhubarb and often is the only time available for pickup), or the location was just a bit too far for me. Then last year I finally went to a big box store and purchased a bag of rhubarb crowns. Unfortunately I had to return the plants that same day because the crowns were mushy and covered with tiny white worms (yeah, gross).

With just a little lingering of hope left in my heart, I pretty much gave up on growing my own rhubarb plant. Then yesterday the topic of rhubarb came up between a co-worker and I. She was surprised to hear that I actually want to grow rhubarb because she hates rhubarb and can't imagine anyone wanting to grow it (apparently her mother turned her off from rhubarb for life because as a child she ate a rhubarb pie that her mother forgot to add sugar to). She had so many rhubarb growing in her yard (and considering that she hates rhubarb) that she was more than happy to give away what she had in her yard.

So . . . [drum roll] . . . she brought two rhubarb crowns to work today and gave them to me. Upon coming home, despite the gray sky and drizzling rain, I planted my rhubarb crowns. [The rhubarb plant pictured above is still very small, although the camera makes it look quite big. The biggest leaf is only as big as my hand.] Yea, rhubarb! Now just two more years before I can actually harvest my first rhubarb stalks.