I have one rhubarb plant on my plot that is doing well and I wonder if it's possible at this time of year to divide it? I put it in last year, so this year was the first time I got a proper crop from it, is it too soon to think of making more plants, and if I do divide them, do I then have to give all the new plants a year to get established before cropping?
The key to successful propagation is the number of buds on the crown.
Each division must have at least one good bud.
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When I took over my plot one of the older chaps told me not to divide my rhubarb for the first 3 years to make sure it was well established.
That was in 1994 and I still have not divided it!.......it gives a great crop every year,much much more than i can use so quite alot gets given away to frienda and family.
Thanks for the advice. I think I'll leave it then for a while, seeing as this year was the first year that we actually had an ok crop. It wasn't as much as I would have liked though. The crowns are quite expensive to buy, I bought another from Homebase for £6.99 but the leaves have turned brown and I think it could do with some compost or manure or something. I even considered growing from seed so that I could get quite a few plants going cheaply, but then I read it takes around two years before a harvest, I suppose that's why the crowns are expensive!
Is it worth asking any of your allotment neighbours if they can spare a bit of one of their varieties??
We have about 4 types and all taste different and some are earlier/red/sweeter.
From what I can gather many people inherit lotties with too many crowns and can't give the stuff away.
Worth asking - maybe you could exchange some fruit bush cuttings?
I've got loads. Is it best to divide now or wait until spring when you can see the buds?
Thanks tin can, nice idea but unfortunately I don't think there'd be much going spare. The site I'm on has seen a boom in activity in recent years and as a result a lot of us have had to start from scratch, rather than taking on an old allotment. Can you recommend at all a sweeter variety that you mentioned, please?
The Royal Horticultural Society say to divide rhubarb anytime between November and March.
Quotethe leaves have turned brown and I think it could do with some compost or manure or something
Try sticking a bucket over the crown to exclude light. Here in Yorkshire they grow it by candlelight!!
Forcing rhubarb by excluding light does not make for a good crop from the same plant the following year so Ive been told or read somewhere.
Anyone confirm that please?
Have a look at this site for ideas of different varieties...
http://www.rhubarbinfo.com/rhubarb-varieties.html
Not much to go on re flavour though.
In reality you'll probably end up with one of the few varieties on sale at your local garden centre or from one of the popular brochures.
My favourite is Timperley Early. Yes it is first to show, and is pink rather than deep red.
It forces nicely but you would need to rest it the following year.
The stems stay a bit thinner than some of the other varieties I have. (Lost labels!!! ::))
I always divide my Rhubarb when the plant is dormant and after i only harvest from the 3 year onwards