Topic: Can anyone ID this plant please?

[CambourneSandra]

I found a plant at the back of my plot near some gooseberry bushes. I have no idea what it is. Can one help me ID it please? photos on my blog

http://tyrer-allotment.blogspot.com/

[becky0129]

rhubarb

[CambourneSandra]

rhubarb

thank you. Now i read the first year rhubarb cant be eaten. How will i know if this one is ok to eat?

[becky0129]

if you can ask one of the neighbours they might know but it looks good so think you will be alright to harvest this year


Becky

[CambourneSandra]

if you can ask one of the neighbours they might know but it looks good so think you will be alright to harvest this year


Becky

thanks...am yet the meet anyone on site. Have been going up everyday and not seen a soul yet. :-(

[galina]

This looks like an older plant.  However, you can judge by the thickness of the stems.  If you only get very few spindly ones, leave alone and give it a bit of muck once the leaves are up.  If it throws up nice fat stems, enjoy, and give it a bit of fertiliser as well.  

Had another look at the photo.  If you look at the wizened woody stems from last year, you can see how fat the stems were last year.  No problem there. Lots to come for custard and crumble  :)

[saddad]

That's established rhubarb... eat away!  :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

It looks fine, but as has been said, give it plenty to eat, especially if the stems are spindly. That's more likely to be lack of feeding than youth from the look of it. I don't mean fertiliser; a barrowload or two of grass cuttings is ideal as it has lots of nitrogen and it builds up the soil.

[Diamond_Skies]

I hope you don't mind me butting in here but I didn't know that you can't eat rhubarb the first year.  I have just divided my established plant into three separate plants.  Should I not eat the stems this year?  Is the reasoning behind this to allow the plant to grow stronger?

[goodlife]

Code: [Select]

Should I not eat the stems this year?  Is the reasoning behind this to allow the plant to grow stronger?Yep..thats the reasoning..but if you plants do produce plenty of strong new growth..if you don't strip them too much, I can't see why not have a little taster this year.

[antipodes]

I have eaten first year rhubarb, it's just to strengthen the plant but if there are loads of stems, you can pick a couple here and there, it never seemed to make much difference to me.  My rhubarb is just showing growth! Except the one I planted last yearthat has rotted away. d**n! Can't seem to succssfully transplant!

[digmore]

Hiya sandra,

I agree with Saddad, wait and see, then eat it.

If you are new to the growing world, try a book called The Allotment Specialist by A & G Bridgewater at £4.99 ish. Lovely book.

Digmore.

[CambourneSandra]

when do you know when it is ready to eat?

[Duke Ellington]

I think it's fennel if you enlarge the picture the leaves are fine and not like rhubarb at all!!!

Duke

[CambourneSandra]

I think it's fennel if you enlarge the picture the leaves are fine and not like rhubarb at all!!!


Duke

the latest picture is indeed fennel, but i was referring to another photo earlier on in the thread. If you scroll down on my blog you will see the rhubard photo, and was wandering how do you know when rhubarb is ready to eat?

[Duke Ellington]

Oh I am so sorry my mistake.  :-\

Iam daft!!.....Duke

[antipodes]

was wandering how do you know when rhubarb is ready to eat?

It won't be ready just yet if it's at that stage, another couple of weeks yet. I pick mine when the stems are over a foot long and quite thick, and while the leaf attached to them is still at its peak. Don't go by the colour as some varieties are greener than others...
You can see that there are several "buds" - each of those will throw up a shower of stems. Just pick one or two from each group at a time, don't pick a whole one or you will ruin its growing centre. Pick the outer stems first and leave the central ones to keep growing.
Hope that helps!

[CambourneSandra]

was wandering how do you know when rhubarb is ready to eat?

It won't be ready just yet if it's at that stage, another couple of weeks yet. I pick mine when the stems are over a foot long and quite thick, and while the leaf attached to them is still at its peak. Don't go by the colour as some varieties are greener than others...
You can see that there are several "buds" - each of those will throw up a shower of stems. Just pick one or two from each group at a time, don't pick a whole one or you will ruin its growing centre. Pick the outer stems first and leave the central ones to keep growing.
Hope that helps!

thats a great help...thank you.