I discovered the difficulty in removing a rhubarb plant this weekend.

Have you ever dug up rhubarb? My parents are having a cement slab poured behind their garage, and that is where they have had their garden these past 12 years. My mother asked if I would re-plant her rhubarb for her, so I grabbed a trowel and started to dig, not thinking it would be difficult. I mean, when I’ve harvested rhubarb for her in the past, it was simple – grab a stalk, twist, and Bam! You’ve got your rhubarb.

I. Was. Wrong.

I quickly realized that the little trowel I had grabbed would not do the job. So, I ran up to the garage and found the spade. Heading to the back of the garage, I gave Little Man the trowel, because “Me Help!”, and who am I to deny him the option to dig in the dirt? Rhubarb 1 – Me 0

I shove the spade in the earth, and it went nowhere. There were so many rocks in that soil. I jumped on the spade, and I made some progress, then it tilted and I fell. Rhubarb 2 – Me 0

20 minutes later, I emerged victorious with one small clump of rhubarb on the side for my mother to give to a friend, and the GIANT CLOD of roots that this 12 year old plant was. No wonder it has come back year…after year…after year…after year. Rhubarb 2 – Me 2

I grab the root cluster and walk over to the side of the yard where my mother wants it replanted. The earth is harder than a rock, great. So, I jump on the shovel, and don’t fall over, and started digging up the area for this monstrosity. It took 10 minutes, and then I have a big hole, so I dump the plant in, recover with the dirt I dug up, and walk away, spade in hand. Rhubarb 2 – Me 3

Well, I’ve never been a fan of rhubarb – the taste is just not my style. And, now, after replanting it – I’m still not a fan. But, to each their own. For those of you who enjoy rhubarb, yay for you. I’ll make sure to not include it in my future garden.