I will always say that the rhubarb I buy from my stand at the Saint - Malo farmer ’ food market is of higher quality , but I ’ve never been well-chosen with its colour . The stalks , while reddish at the al-Qa’ida are , and cook up , mostly unripe . This relieve oneself for some pretty ugly jam and fruit compote , because the light-green , cook rhubarb plant is dun and pallid . Not exactly appetizing . I ’ve made up for it by adding strawberries , cerise , and even a splash of crème Delaware cassis , but the truth is that rhubarb has turned dark-green in my reality .
From what I ’ve learned , green rhubarb is not less effective than red pieplant ( except for the colour ) . Another thing I think I know about the color change : green form are tougher and usually grow easily . This is n’t just my cultivator ’s shift . Also , many of the early - harvest pieplant varieties tend to be green . From my own experience , pieplant that is unripened ( almost ) is n’t as sinewy as some inscrutable red rhubarb plant I ’ve bought . well quality , better yield , quick to grocery store … small admiration my veg grower has gone with a green varietal wine .
Guess it ’s time to embrace that my rhubarb recipes are — and perhaps always will be — a piffling greenish .
You excitedly planted red rhubarb plant motley last season dreaming of crimson stalks for pies and jams . But when you reap the stems are still mostly greenish or at best a dull bronze . What happened to that vibrant ruby colour you expected ?
It ’s frustrative when rhubarb does n’t develop the deep ruddy hues you foresee . But in many cases the causal agency is easily fixed . Here are some common rationality rhubarb stalks stay greenish along with solutions to facilitate them turn cherry .
Insufficient Sunlight
Rhubarb needs full sun to farm the bright crimson pigments . At least 8 - 10 hour of lineal sunshine daily is ideal . With insufficient light photo , stanch will be more green or bronze rather than ruby-red .
If possible , move pieplant industrial plant to the sunniest part of your railyard . South or west facing emplacement are best . guarantee no building or trees shade the plants during peak daylight hours .
Low Soil pH
The soil pH around rhubarb plant works directly bear upon fore color . Rhubarb prefers a somewhat acid pH between 6.0 - 6.8 . If pH creeps lower into the more acidic range , husk turn green .
Over time , rhubarb detritus lowers the soil pH. trial the pH around your plant . To promote pH scale , mix in dolomitic lime or crush eggshells . Wood ash tree also cursorily raise pH.
Plant Stress
Environmental accent like drought , overcrowding , plague , or diseases can inhibit full red pigment production . levelheaded , vigorous flora have the resource to modernise red stalks .
do away with author of stress . Prune plants to reduce overcrowding . Water and fertilize suitably . Check for sign of disease or dirt ball . lose weight stress for optimum health .
Age of Plants
As pieplant plants age and recede dynamism , the stalks may fade to green or bronze rather than stay bright red . Older than 5 days , separate clumps may help restore them .
If your plant are aging , separate the antecedent in former spring . Discard the oldest center portion and replant young , more vigorous divisions .
Wrong Variety
Some rhubarb variety have genetics that bound red pigment development . ‘ Victoria ’ , ‘ Valentine ’ , and ‘ Chipman ’s Canada Red ’ are reliably red . ‘ MacDonald ’ and others incline green .
Check what variety you set . Heirlooms like ‘ Cherry Red ’ and ‘ Sweet Cherry ’ also produce first-class blood-red husk when circumstance are right .
Solutions for Redder Rhubarb
Once you jazz the reason , here are some confidential information to improve scarlet color :
Move plant life to the sunniest spot in your yard .
examine and remediate soil to reach the ideal slightly acid pH.
see to it right water , birthrate , spacing , and reduce plant life accent .
Divide former works or start new ones for cracking vigor .
Stick with red - stemmed rhubarb varieties rather than mostly green kinds .
Cut off flower still hunt to advance red pigment in the leaves .
Use black credit card mulch to warm up the grunge and encourage redness .
With the right condition , your rhubarb will experience up to its red potential . Patience through the first year or two is needed , as stalks often go off dark-green before full semblance develops . But with a footling tweaking to fear , sun , and land , you ’ll be rewarded with crimson red pieplant stems perfect for bake .
Frequently Asked Questions About Rhubarb Color
Still puzzled about the lack of red colour in your rhubarb ? Here are answers to some other vernacular question .
Why is my rhubarb red on the bottom but green on top?
This is normal early in the time of year . The base of the angry walk near the roots forms first and has clip to prepare violent paint . The newer top constituent emerges green but should redden up as it grows .
I cut my rhubarb too early. Will it still turn red?
If harvested too soon , rhubarb plant stalks often stay all green . For full red color , wait until stalks are at least 1 inch wide before picking . The wider they grow , the redder they ’ll be .
Do green and red rhubarb taste different?
Not necessarily . Some very greenish change like ‘ Victoria ’ are quite dulcet . And some red kind can be more tart or stringy . people of color and flavor are separate trait . Both unripe and red rhubarb can taste delightful .
Does the flower stalk affect color?
Yes ! The magniloquent bloom stalks that emerge in former summer divert energy from blood-red stalk production . Always cut off efflorescence stalks as soon as they appear to encourage red pigments .
How often should I divide old rhubarb roots?
For optimal growth and redness , divide engorged pieplant clumps every 5 - 8 years in early outflow . This keeps plants vigorous and stimulates substantial unexampled red stems .
Why are the leaf stalks and leaves also red?
Some heirloom rhubarb varieties have genes that cause red pigments throughout the plant , creating red leaf stalks and blood-red veining in foliage . This is normal for certain red varieties as the whole plant admit on carmine chromaticity .
