Rhubarb and strawberries, like tomato and basil, cucumber and dill, and potato and leek, have been paired together, not only because their tastes complement each other, but they are also ready to harvest simultaneously. Rhubarb, a low maintenance perennial, grows easily in fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil (5.0 – 6.5 pH) that has been amended with compost. Because it cannot rotate around my vegetable garden year to year, it has a permanent spot near my herb garden. Annual mulching, after the ground has warmed, is all the care it requires. Rhubarb develops beautiful elephant-like leaves well before other plant, since the leaves sprout from well-established plants. Its stalk is edible, however the leaves are poisonous, so don’t be tempted to cook them as greens.
To harvest, twist and tug the thick stalks; they are laden with vitamins as well as an unusual taste sensation. When I was young we ate freshly harvested rhubarb, sticking the broken end in a small paper cup of sugar, taking a bite from the crisp, juicy stalk—savoring the mingling tart / sweet flavor. Today, I
make strawberry rhubarb
crisp or muffins, or heat them together with honey until they are soft and the flavors blend.
This first-of-the-season combination
proves, "The whole is tastier than its parts." The strawberry’s sweetness counters rhubarb’s tartness, creating a savory flavor pairing.
Rhubarb and strawberries, like tomato and basil, cucumber and dill, and potato and leek, have been paired together, not only because their tastes complement each other, but they are also ready to harvest simultaneously. Rhubarb, a low maintenance perennial, grows easily in fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil (5.0 – 6.5 pH) that has been amended with compost. Because it cannot rotate around my vegetable garden year to year, it has a permanent spot near my herb garden. Annual mulching, after the ground has warmed, is all the care it requires. Rhubarb develops beautiful elephant-like leaves well before other plant, since the leaves sprout from well-established plants. Its stalk is edible, however the leaves are poisonous, so don’t be tempted to cook them as greens. 
To harvest, twist and tug the thick stalks; they are laden with vitamins as well as an unusual taste sensation. When I was young we ate freshly harvested rhubarb, sticking the broken end in a small paper cup of sugar, taking a bite from the crisp, juicy stalk—savoring the mingling tart / sweet flavor. Today, I make strawberry rhubarb crisp or muffins, or heat them together with honey until they are soft and the flavors blend. 
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