Topic: How's your rhubarb

[Cuke]

I planted my first crown just over a week ago, and like goldendaisy123 says, my leaves seem to have a few holes appeared in them and one has gone very yellow. New ones are comign through though I don't seem to have killed it...

Assuming it needs a bit of a 'feed' what should I use? Very new at all this so if you can be specific about what and where to get it that'd be good... otherwise I tend to just use 'multi purpose compost' which I'm guessing is a bit of a jack of all trades, master of none.

Ta muchly :)

[Trevor_D]

It's fairly difficult to kill rhubarb. Have you watered it in well? It's been very dry. I think I'd give it a couple of cans of water and then cover with something like straw or rotted horse manure; whatever you can get, but preferably something bulky, rather than potting compost. Let the leaves show through, but pack the stuff all round it. You can't actually pull any until this time next year.

[Columbus]

hi all,  :)

Like others here I gave my oldest crown a covering of horse muck a few weeks ago, nothing happened for a while but in the last three weeks its grown stems as big as my wrist. I`m eating crumble every day and giving loads away.

It does have a little slug damage but nothing to worry over.

Its grown from a sad peice barely bigger than my thumb that I discovered when I first got the plot, it had one tiny leaf to identify it as rhubarb.

I`ve also got last years splits of crowns from other plot holders coming along in other places to secure future harvests.

Col

[ruffmeister]

yes we are having another crumble this evening v nice

[Trevor_D]

Pulled some of the main crop yesterday to make a batch of Rhubarb & Ginger Jam. Nice job for a rainy day!

[dawn34]

we have 5 lots of rhubarb it has really started to grow the last week or so have been watering them and the leaves are enormous now and really thick stems, these where left on our plot when we took it over no idea what kind but hubby enjoys it and so do the neighbours and friends me i can't stand the stuff.

[sawfish]

I planted my first crown just over a week ago, and like goldendaisy123 says, my leaves seem to have a few holes appeared in them and one has gone very yellow. New ones are comign through though I don't seem to have killed it...

Assuming it needs a bit of a 'feed' what should I use? Very new at all this so if you can be specific about what and where to get it that'd be good... otherwise I tend to just use 'multi purpose compost' which I'm guessing is a bit of a jack of all trades, master of none.

Ta muchly :)

As long as you had some compost at least under the crown. Manure would be better but chicken pellets are brilliant just chucked on top and watered in as they're pretty acidic.

Apparently urine is good chucked on your rhubarb (I know it is).  :P

[ruffmeister]

hmm urine havent tried that one.

[grawrc]

I've just bottled last year's rhubarb wine to make room for the next batch. The rhubarb is glorious and far too much for us but other lottie holders know to help themselves. I can only cope with so much crumble but I make rhubarb and ginger jam which goes down well with the troops! ;) and lasts for ever.  I give the rhubarb a good shovelful of manure in springtime as it starts growing and water occasionally with "comfrey soup" or "nettle soup" during the season.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I give them some fertiliser from the pee barrel now and then; they thrive on it.

[Joe11]

What do you guys recon could be up with my little plant, it has purple patches over its one leaf??

Joe

[ninnyscrops]

Mine's rubbish, keeps flagging on me! Posted this on another thread.
Moved it last November and it seemed OK ish, someone said put a collar of manure around it, then fellow plotholder said "it's planted too deep, crowns need to be above the level of the ground, just lift it, back fill and it'll be better than ever".  Another fellow plotholder said to me today "I watered your rhubarb today cos it looked so sad for itself".   

Looked OK at the weekend then has flagged again on me with lots of little holes in the leaves.  Victoria isn't living up to her name, any help!

[Robert_Brenchley]

When was it planted?

[ninnyscrops]

I removed it from it's old position about Feb time, frosted it above ground for a week or so then replanted in it's new position.

[busy_lizzie]

My rhubarb is amazing! It has really come on so much. The only trouble is that because of the weather conditions, mainly lack of rain I think,some have started to go to seed. This has never happened so early in the season, and it is usually July or August this happens. Any one else have this problem?  ??? busy_lizzie 

[Robert_Brenchley]

Yes, I pulled a flower off at the weekend. It's going to be a weird season.

[goldendaisy123]

My rhubarb is exectly the same Ninnyscrops. >:( Lots of little holes and seeming limp. I just don't know whats wrong. I've fed it given it manure lots of water but it's not a well bunny!

[sand]

We forced our 2 year old Victoria rhubarb crown this year for the first time.  Plonked a load of rotten horse muck around the crown and covered it with an unpturned black dustbin about a month ago.

Today we picked our first stalks, very large and fat ones too, leaving plenty behind and some new shoots showing through.  We're very impressed.

What we need to know is what happens next?  How long can we continue to force it for and what do we do when it slows down?

Stewed rhubarb and fresh cream, mmmmmmmmm.

[Curryandchips]

I have never forced my rhubarb, on second picking this season, and loads waiting ...

[sand]

But forced rhubarb is so gorgeous.  Far superior to the rhubarb grown without a little 'help'.

Just the way it's grown in the Yorkshire triangle.

Not that I don't like it however it's grown, I just want to have my cake and eat it!

Sand :)