Topic: Help! me rhubarb has disappeared!

[Les_Woof]

When we got our lottie the first thing we did was to dig over a plot to create a fruit plot.

In this we planted some black and red currant bushes, an apple tree and a rhubarb crown.

All is flourishing except the rhubarb.  We bought it from Wilko's and it had one tiny little stem of rhubarb growing from it.  About a week after we planted it this single stem withered and went!

It has been about 4 months now and there is absolutely nothing there.  

Firstly what should we do?  We love rhubarb.

Secondly I popped over to a friends house the other day because he wants to turn part of his garden into a veg/fruit plot and he wanted some advise on what to do.  He has got several crowns which are basically taking over the whole area he wants to convert.

And he hates rhubarb!  Isn't it ironic.

Would it be possible to take his crowns up and plant them at mine.  Some of the stems are about 5' tall and look like they have flowered/seeded would this be right?

Les
 ???

[jock_edin]

I got an alloty 5 years ago with no rhubarb on it. So on the waste ground that had plots on years ago I went in search of some crowns, I tried digging some up but all I got was pieces breaking off. I planted those and now have 7/8 seperate crowns all lovely by the way. Good luck transplanting.
                    jock_edin

[rdak]

I got 3 crowns from Wilkos as well- all came to nothing! Guess you get what you pay for!

[Les_Woof]

Thats what I was thinking Ross.  Guess I'll just have to take my mates crowns and get them going.

Has anyone else had this problem with Wilko rhubarb crowns?

[budgiebreeder]

Yes same here.Like Ross says you gets what you pays for .it would have been cheaper to buy from somewhere else in the first place.But not having a car i cant get to a nursery very easily.

[OP]

when we took over our lotty last year (mares tail and ground elder covered - horrible thing.  An ongoing project...) we had no rhubarb.  Now I personally hate the stuff, but my friend who I share the lottie with loves it.  He bought a plant,thena  week later we spotted a couple of old looking croowns in the hedge. There wasa one massive old dry looking one which split into 3.  Each of those got planted and now they're looking far far happier than the one he bought :)

[gavin]

Best to lift a mature rhubarb crown between October and March.  Divide it into pieces, each with at least one bud, and plant afresh with plenty well-rotted manure or compost.

They'll look a bit weedy the first year - don't harvest that first year - but should then romp away?

Good luck - Gavin

[Les_Woof]

Thanks Gavin.

i was going to go this weekend and pillage all his rhubarb and lift the crowns......glad you got in touch

Thanks m8

Les