Everything I Love About Rhubarb Season
Every spring, one of my favorite harvests besides a rose or peony it’s rhubarb.
The rhubarb growing at Old Castle Cottage is especially meaningful because it came from a division of my husband’s grandmother’s plant. Every time I see those beautiful ruby-red stalks pushing through the soil, I think of her and the generations before us who lovingly grew and shared plants with family.
Now, my husband will tell you he wasn’t exactly a fan of his grandmother’s rhubarb desserts growing up. According to him, they “weren’t sweet enough.” Coming from a man who eats ice cream every single night, that’s saying something! Lol
That all changed when I made my grandmother’s Rhubarb Custard Pie. Now he eagerly waits for rhubarb season every spring and starts asking when I’ll be baking one.
How to Grow & Divide Rhubarb
• Plant in full sun to part shade.
• Rhubarb loves rich, well-drained soil amended with compost.
• Once established, plants can live for decades.
• Divide mature clumps every 5–10 years in early spring or fall by digging up the crown and cutting it into sections with healthy buds attached.
• Replant divisions immediately and water well.
How to Harvest
• Wait until plants are established usually after the second year.
• Pull stalks from the base with a gentle twist rather than cutting.
• Only harvest about one-third of the plant at a time.
• Never eat the leaves they contain high levels of oxalic acid and should be discarded.
Freezing Rhubarb
Rhubarb freezes beautifully!
- Wash and trim stalks.
- Cut into ½-inch pieces.
- Spread on a baking sheet and freeze until firm.
- Transfer to freezer bags.
- Enjoy in pies, crisps, muffins, and jams all year long.
My Grandmother’s Rhubarb Custard Pie
Ingredients:
• 1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust
• 3 cups diced rhubarb
• 3 large eggs
• 1½ cups sugar
• ¼ cup flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Place rhubarb in the pie shell.
- In a bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, flour, cream, and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour over rhubarb.
- Bake 45–55 minutes until the custard is set and lightly golden.
- Cool completely before serving.
One of the things I love most about gardening is how plants carry stories. This simple patch of rhubarb connects two grandmothers, countless family meals, and now another generation making memories around the table.
Do you grow rhubarb? And what’s a treasured plant that has been passed down through your family?
#OldCastleCottage #Rhubarb #RhubarbPie