Rhubarb

Here are some tips for growing rhubarb, an early season treat, from me, the Western Garden Book and the Practical Guide to Gardening in Canada (by Reader's Digest)

• To propagate, divide in late winter or early spring.  Each piece has to have at least one bud.  Space them a meter apart in a sunny spot (can withstand sea spray).  Dig well rotted manure or finished compost into the hole.  Position the division so that the bud is just out of the soil, and firm the soil around the roots.  Water if soil is dry.
• To harvest, wait until the new plant's third year, so that the plant stores maximum energy in it's roots.  The third year, only harvest for about a month and in subsequent years (it can produce for 20 years!) harvest what you can while leaving many leaves to make energy for the roots to store.  When picking, hold the stem near the base and twist it off rather than cutting, which leaves a rotting stub. 
• Remove flower stalks because they take a lot of stored energy to produce.
• To fertilize, use light nitrogen for young plants and heavy nitrogen for older plants.  Top dress with compost or rotted manure in fall then use liquid organic fertilizer in spring. 
• Water regularly.