PERENNIAL FRUITS ABOUND IN JUNE

All fruits don't grow on trees or shrubs. Some of them are perennials, such as rhubarb and strawberries. These are at their best in June here in the upstate region of New York.

Enjoy strawberry-rhubarb pie. It's what nature intended. Why else would these be available at the same time of year?

How can rhubarb be considered a fruit when we're actually eating the stem? Culinary habits seem to play a role. Technically a tomato might be a fruit, but we eat it as a vegetable. So that's what it is considered. We think of rhubarb as a fruit, and use it as if it for that purpose.

Rhubarb is so easy to grow. Even novice gardeners won't have a problem with this one. Rhubarb roots or plants are sold in the spring in retail stores. They are also available online and through catalogs. For best results c hoose a spot with reasonably, rich, well-drained moist soil. Soil type isn't important, since it tolerates heavy clay. The plant will thrive in both full sun and partial shade.

Since rhubarb will be in the same place for many years, prepare the soil well before planting. Tilling is the easiest way. Place the plants so that the top of the division is level with the surface of the soil. Avoid planting it too deeply. The plants should be spaced about three or four feet apart.

Rhubarb does best if it is fertilized at least once a year. I like to put a thin layer of manure around each plant after I quit harvesting in the spring. In warmer climates this can also be done a second time in the fall. An ordinary balanced fertilizer can be used instead of the manure.

During the spring of the second year after it's planted, rhubarb is ready for harvest. The actual time of harvest will depend on your climate. In warmer areas the plants will begin growth earlier than they do here in the Northeast.

For best results avoid over-harvesting from a single rhubarb plant. Generally you can cut about half of the stalks that emerge. If you remove more than that, the plants might suffer.

To most people rhubarb isn't a very important garden crop. Don't tell that to residents of Wakefield, England. Each year they hold the annual Wakefield Festival of Rhubarb. The event includes everything you might expect; including every rhubarb dish you can imagine-from soups to puddings.

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