Rhubarb

I need rhubarb. It is a basic food group. The plants we had from twenty years ago when we first moved to North Carolina succombed several years ago. They had survived our move from Clemmons to Oak Ridge, staying 6-months as bare roots in the place we leased in between. But, they finally died out. My sister said they need to be replanted every so often. I think I just had them in a place they ultimately didn't like.

So, I looked around today. I had four paper catalogs (Gurneys, Burpee, Henry Fields, and Johnny's Seeds). I wondered if I could get a better price online. Here is the essence of what I found:

Wallace-Woodstock
Canada Red - Zone 3-8. A fine Canadian variety, has natural sweetness that allows you to use less sugar to make pies, sauces, and other baked goods. The earliest produce in the Spring, this variety produces long, juicy stalks that are cherry red clear through. Cooks up strawberry red color. This is a must for every garden.

Victoria - Zone 3-8. This is a very productive strain for home gardeners and commercial growers, producing large tender stalks of excellent quality. Not as red as Canada Red, but more vigorous and productive. Shows strong resistance to root rot and is a btter choice for growing in heavier soils.
Price: 1-2 $ 7.00 Ea., 3 for $ 19.00, 6 for $ 36.00, 12 for $ 65.00

Holland Bulb Farms
Victoria Rhubarb Plant. What says late summer better than rhubarb pie? Plump, fiber-free stalks with rich red inside color and a sweet only mildly tart flavor make this rhubarb a customer favorite! This is the ultimate rhubarb plant as it is disease resistant and cold hardy. Stalks should be allowed to grow two full seasons before harvesting. $5.48

Garden Harvest
Victoria is one of the earliest maturing varieties and has a flavor a little more wine-like and a little less tart than the Glaskins variety. The stalks are typically 10-12 inches long and the color graduates from scarlet at the base to light green at the top. Absolutely wonderful for pies and cobblers!
Price: $7.00

I went with Holland Bulb Farms. I turns out that, unlike the others, Holland had 3 plants per package, which made it by far the least expensive. Sometimes cheap isn't good. The plants may be very small, for instance. I can be patient. I just need rhubarb.