By Sam, worthing west sussex, uk

Re: Rhubarb...a refresher question please
02 Aug 2008 16:53

after just reading a message about fruit compote in can you help

Replies

By Sam, worthing west sussex, uk

Re: Rhubarb...a refresher question please
02 Aug 2008 16:57

earlier this year, some of you may remember I brought a rhubarb crown.

my understanding is that you can;t eat "new" rhubarb until the end of its first year.

is this information still correct.????

my plant is mega huge, the leaves are enormous, however the stalks (yes i know its not rhubabr season in the uk) are green/a bit pink)

so my question is really how do i know treat me plant, ie, should i at some point in near future cut it all back, if yes, how much, and if yes, do i just let the plant do its thing and wait until feb/march to pick the red/pink stalks???

please help.

sammy

By lucyhan

Re: Rhubarb...a refresher question please
02 Aug 2008 17:52

Hi Sammy
I'm not much use but I would be inclined to pull the stalks or leave them a bit longer then cook them and let the plant do its own thing. I dont think you should cut rhubarb but I could be wrong. I have bought greeny pink rhubarb off the market and just put more sugar with it LHxx

By becky

Re: Rhubarb...a refresher question please
02 Aug 2008 21:21

Hi Sammy
Not sure if this will help you at all. I inherited my rhubarb patch 28 years ago when I came to live in my parents-in-laws house when they vacated it. I know the rhubarb had been here for several years before that. Each year my rhubarb grows and I pick it, and my sister picks it and my friends pick it. Or should I say "pull" it.
Because there its too much to use It eventually goes to seed which looks really lovely at the top of the garden, then as the autumn progresses it starts to die back on its own. There is nothing there all winter until it starts to send up growth from the crowns again in the Spring. The patch is about 10" x 12" and we never manage to eat it all !! Some years I cover it with straw in the Spring but not often as encouraging that much rhubarb is just too much!!
Hope this helps
Becky
x

By JoyH Yorkshire

Re: Rhubarb...a refresher question please
03 Aug 2008 02:21

Sam, the outdoor grown rhubarb season runs from April through to September, so you might not be picking yours as early as Feb/Mar.

The expensive thin pink 'champagne' rhubarb stalks that appear in the shops from Dec/January are from the 'Rhubarb Triangle' of West Yorkshire - Leeds/Wakefield/Bradford.

I saw aTV programme earlier in the year & they're forced in warm dark sheds & picked by candlelight, you can even hear them growing as they make squeaky noises, it was fascinating. I hope yours do well next year.

By JoyH Yorkshire

Re: Rhubarb...a refresher question please
03 Aug 2008 02:25

Becky, did you mean 10 x 12 feet? 10 x 12 inches is a weeny rhubarb patch when you consider the size of the leaves! :-))

By Biggles

Re: Rhubarb...a refresher question please
03 Aug 2008 08:37

Hi Sam, no pulling in the first year 'they say', weakens the plant.
This link is quite good at explaining the various requirements:
http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_veg_diary/fruit_veg_mini_project_september_1_rhubarb.asp

By becky

Re: Rhubarb...a refresher question please
03 Aug 2008 10:32

Hi Joy
Sorry - No I did mean 10 feet x 12 feet. Just put the inches by mistake!! The patch is about 50 years old as my hubby said this morning that his father inherited it when he moved in. Sounds like old rhubarb but believe it or not it is lovely each season. Just keeps on going. Becky x

By Crafty Cookie

Re: Rhubarb...a refresher question please
03 Aug 2008 19:47

Please do not be tempted to pick your rhubarb yet.

If you do you will weaken the plant and have a bad harvest next year.

The idea is (and it does work) is that you leave the last of the stalks on the crown each year, allow the stalks to wither, the goodness from the stalks feeds the crown for next years growth.

It is a bit of a pain, but it will be well worth it.

During the cold months it is advisable to cover the crowns with hay or straw (dead grass will do) to protect from the frost.

By Chutney Queen, Somerset

Re: Rhubarb...a refresher question please
04 Aug 2008 12:16

Can I ask for help too ? Planted 2 crowns 3 years ago, I think, may have been 2. They are not producing a lot of stalks, and what there are are very spindly. My soil is quite poor. Should I feed the rhubarb, and if so with what ? I know they like manure but I cannot get hold of any.
Thanks

By Sam, worthing west sussex, uk

Re: Rhubarb...a refresher question please
04 Aug 2008 12:56

Thanks Bigs for that web site, everything i needed to know was mentioned.

By Biggles

Re: Rhubarb...a refresher question please
04 Aug 2008 13:18

Hi Chutney Queen, do take a look at the web site mentioned above, it gives the clearest info I have found on rhubarb to date. They say rhubarb should not be disturbed once growing. However, we have moved a couple and they looked as if they were dying off after a few weeks. OH chopped the tops off and they are both looking quite good. I'm treating them as 'first years' and not pulling from these two this year. They do like a lot of compost. I used to cover the rhubarb area in wood ash from the fire as that is what the chap did in the garden before us.

By Chutney Queen, Somerset

Re: Rhubarb...a refresher question please
04 Aug 2008 16:52

thanks bigs, I missed that about the website, will take a look.

By Crafty Cookie

Re: Rhubarb...a refresher question please
06 Aug 2008 19:09

CQ Straw, dried grass and manure are all great coverings for Rhubarb during winter.