Oh, Shoot!

Behold my rhubarb shoot!

I acquired two bareroot rhubarb plantlings recently as a gift and one of them surprised me with this energetic pink stem when I opened the bag.  I can almost taste rhubarb pie every time I look at it...yum!  I've tried, unsuccessfully, to grow rhubarb three times before (huge sigh) and swore I would never try again.  Never say never, I guess, I weakened last year when my neighbor showed me his huge first year plants and inspired me to try again.  This time I've done lots of research (acid soil, perfect sun, deep tilling, voodoo charms) and am keeping my fingers crossed that the fourth time is the charm.

I know our almost-sixty degree weather won't last. We are surrounded by snow-covered hills and mountains and little patches of snow still lurk in our yards.  I know that Old Man Winter still has at least one frigid storm up his sleeve before springtime weather arrives for good. But I'm determined to get a jump on my garden by planting in large pots that can be moved in and out of the garage depending on the weather.  Our growing season is so short here that a couple of weeks growth can make a big difference.

Behind the rhubarb are two smaller pots with five everbearing strawberry roots each. I've always grown the June berries and mostly made the robins happy with a free breakfast.  It's a running joke at our cottage that robins are red-breasted due to their diet--our strawberries, our cherries, our raspberries, our apples.  I thought maybe I'd have more of a chance with these everbearing Ft. Laramie plants.  If not, the leaves are still pretty and I do like feeding songbirds!