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Rhubarb

• Message 1. 

  Posted by J-A-H (U14798051) on Sunday, 27th February 2011

  I have tried to grow rhubarb for the last 20 years without much luck,i have tried various varieties,it takes me all season to get perhaps two pickings. Can anybody help before i give up

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Italophile (U12516505) on Sunday, 27th February 2011

  When do you start harvesting? Best not to start till its second season.

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• Message 3

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  Posted by hereisabee (U2342191) on Sunday, 27th February 2011

  Yes the rhubarb you buy in shops is 'forced' from crowns that has grown unpicked in the field for several seasons. So you should plant a crown and then leave it to grow for several years before picking. No rhubarb shoud be picked after the end of June, however the Victorians would grow rhubarb from seed sown early in the year and then strip the plant for an autnm crop.

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• Message 4

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  Posted by pastmemories (U2437829) on Sunday, 27th February 2011

  The Victorians had more horses to supply the manure.

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• Message 5

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  Posted by Ian W (U8604472) on Monday, 28th February 2011

  At risk of upsetting you J-A-H rhubarb almost grows like weeds for me (and all the people around me too) and I'm no expert so I can't understand why you're having such a problem. Perhaps you need to take advice on soil - they like manure as mentioned above but personnally I don't feed them anything else and I end up throwing it away I get so much (after I've filled the freezer). Do any of your neighbours grow rhubarb - perhaps a chat with a knowledgeable local might help. Try this site which has some good info

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• Message 6

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  Posted by Vulnerable Bede (U14285087) on Tuesday, 1st March 2011

  Have you thought about digging it up, splitting and replanting.
  
  I did this with one of my crowns a couple of years back. I put one half in my shed, in a tub, so to force it and got the nicer long pink stems, small leaves but the outdoor gave the more crimson stems but not quite as much.
  
  I will see what happens this year with them both and report back.
  
  We get lots of free manure every week from a local stable so every plot has good looking rhubarb on our allotment site.

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• Message 7

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  Posted by punpun (U14553477) on Tuesday, 1st March 2011

  Hi J-A-H
  I agree with all thats been said but will add this, have you just planted in the ground and hoped for the best or did you ensure the ground was rich very rich in manure/compost?
  
  If you cant get fresh manure buy it ready packed from the garden centre;
  One member mentioned the victorians and how they grew it, he's corret but they also used urine on it also,
  
  As i write this reply to you my rhubarb has a bukcet of cow manure over the growing crown (leaves can be seen) and a covering of straw and the old chimney pot over it with a roof slate on top.
  
  Rhubarb is a very hungry plant and as has been said you should'nt be taking any leaves off it for at least 2 years but i'd say 3 or 4 so the plant can really get good roots going.
  
  Pull the storks off dont cut them off.

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• Message 8

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  Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Tuesday, 1st March 2011

  I have three crowns of rubarb and the one which grows for fun is seldom fed and grows in the roots of a hedge. It's quite old though but still goes on producing every year. This year it's bigger than the one being forced.
  
  I grow mine in part shade which may help although there was loads on the alloment behind me one year and that grew in full sun all day.
  
  I'm not sure what you are doing wrong but newer crowns do take a couple of years to establish, my two year old last year produced few fat stems but tastie thin red one's. I never want to stop picking mine as when you do they still grow stems which can be huge but these need to be allowed to die back to feed the crown for the following years harvest.
  
  

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• Message 9

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  Posted by respectedponydriver (U13905235) on Tuesday, 1st March 2011

  I managed to kill a crown,that i had planted on a horse manure heap.It didnt like it at all,then a friend gave me another one and i just planted it at the end of a weg bed and its lovely,had my first rubarb and ginger crumble today.

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• Message 10

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  Posted by myplot (U6600643) on Monday, 7th March 2011

  Hi all, I picked my 1st. sticks of rhubarb on Sunday. To me that puts winter beh and enjoy.ind me and I can start feeling more positive about this years crops. Like many others I lost alot to the weather last year, so everyday past now is a day nearer spring so get busy with your sowing

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• Message 11

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  Posted by myplot (U6600643) on Monday, 7th March 2011

  Hi, it's supposed to read put the winter behind me. I dont know what happened there..

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• Message 12

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  Posted by hereisabee (U2342191) on Tuesday, 15th March 2011

  This is a good variety 'Albert', I placed the large black pot (next) over it last month and now have a good crop of sweet and tasty rhubarb.
  
  

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