Van Bourgondien

Garden Guide Fruits and Vegetables

Varieties

Rhubarb

Plant the hardy perennial roots in full sun in early spring, as soon as the soil can be worked, with the crown bud 2" below soil surface. Soil should be prepared in the fall prior to spring planting by incorporating organic matter in the soil and loosening the soil to a depth of 10-12", and making sure it drains well. Space plants 36-48" apart with rows 3-4' apart. Keep watered during periods of drought and mulch to keep weeds down and conserve soil moisture. Fertilize with a high nitrogen fertilizer in late June. Do not harvest during the first year after planting. Harvest sparingly the second year, and by the third year, a full harvest may be enjoyed. To harvest, pull the leafstalks from the plant and trim off the leaf blades. Do not eat the leaf blades as they contain large amounts of oxalic acid. Remove only 1⁄3 of the leafstalks from a plant at any time. Remove flower stems during spring and summer to extend the harvesting season. Once they flower, do not harvest until the following year.

Shallots

Plant in rich, humusy, well-drained soil in full sun. In spring, 2-4 weeks before last frost date, plant sets directly in the garden, 1" deep, allowing 4-6" between bulbs. Mulch and water regularly to promote good bulb formation. Side-dress with compost or well-rotted manure. Each set will form 8-10 shallots. When the tops have dried, pull up the plants. Dry the bulbs in a sunny, well-ventilated place. Store the bulbs either by hanging in a cool, dry place or, after cutting off the stems, storing in mesh bags.

Strawberries

Upon arrival, plants may look “dead“ because of storage. Soon after planting, the plant will sprout with new healthy leaves. Plant in well-drained, slightly acidic, rich soil amended with plenty of organic material. Grow in full sun. Soak the roots before planting for several hours in tepid water. Plant so the crown is just at soil level, not under the soil, with the roots well buried in soil. Spread the roots out so that they form a circle going down into the soil. Space crowns 12" apart. Mulch the plants well with compost or well-rotted manure. Keep well-watered, especially for the first 6-8 weeks after planting, until the plants become established. The first year, prune off all spring flowers of garden strawberries. For everbearing varieties, let the fall flowers go to fruit. Garden strawberries spread by runners. For larger berries, prune back all but a few runners. You do need some runners to fill in as older plants die. In cold climates, cover strawberries with a heavy straw mulch for the winter. Do not remove mulch until after the last hard freeze. Garden strawberries need to be picked every day as they ripen —become fully colored and are slightly soft. Overripe berries will simply rot on the vine. Pluck strawberries so the stem and cap remain attached. A mature strawberry plant can yield about 1 pint of berries per season.