The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Fruit => Topic started by: Cinderhills on October 12, 2011, 09:39:09 pm

Title: Have I killed my rhubarb?
Post by: Cinderhills on October 12, 2011, 09:39:09 pm

I got a bit carried away and pulled up all the stems from my rhubarb.  I have a horrible feeling I've read somewhere that you need to leave some stems on.  Will it grow back next year?

Title: Re: Have I killed my rhubarb?
Post by: Greenerlife on October 12, 2011, 09:42:29 pm

i did the same (i like rhubarb!) and it came back with a vengeance the following year!  It's supposed to be better for the plant to leave some strength by leaving some unpulled, but it seems daft to me, as it dies down to nothing anyway in winter!

Title: Re: Have I killed my rhubarb?
Post by: doganjo on October 12, 2011, 09:44:51 pm

I think rhubarb survives in spite of what we do to it!  We totally ignored ours in our last house and it spread like wildfire.  We hardly used any of it ourselves, were giving it away, then when autumn came we left it and ::) forgot about it.  Up it came bigger than ever following spring!

Title: Re: Have I killed my rhubarb?
Post by: Lesley Silvester on October 12, 2011, 11:41:02 pm

Rhubarb seems to thrive on ill-treatment.  It'll probably come up stronger than ever.  :D

Title: Re: Have I killed my rhubarb?
Post by: Fleecewife on October 13, 2011, 12:23:03 am

But give it a giant dollop of well rotted manure as a treat.

Title: Re: Have I killed my rhubarb?
Post by: Mel Rice on October 13, 2011, 10:43:25 am

As long as it doesnt get too dry it will be fine whatever you do!

Title: Re: Have I killed my rhubarb?
Post by: Cinderhills on October 13, 2011, 01:15:13 pm

Brilliant.  Thanks everyone.  Can't wait for next years crop now.  :)

Title: Re: Have I killed my rhubarb?
Post by: Lesley Silvester on October 13, 2011, 05:13:12 pm

 :)

Title: Re: Have I killed my rhubarb?
Post by: Sylvia on October 13, 2011, 07:54:56 pm

I find it does better if divided up every two or three years and passed around to neighbours  :) Then, discarding the tough middle, plant and manure. (Best done in the autumn) and make sure every crown has a couple of buds on.

Title: Re: Have I killed my rhubarb?
Post by: ellied on November 08, 2011, 09:14:55 am

Great timing, I was just looking to see if it was a good time to dig up and divide the rhubarb so I'm away out to do it right now :)

Title: Re: Have I killed my rhubarb?
Post by: Plantoid on November 08, 2011, 05:49:05 pm

When you split the rhubarb make sure each part has  a growth node /shoot on it and water it in .

Title: Re: Have I killed my rhubarb?
Post by: PetiteGalette on January 05, 2012, 12:52:02 am

Rhubarb can grow through tarmac!

http://gardentenders.com/members/MsDebbieP/blog/2323 (http://gardentenders.com/members/MsDebbieP/blog/2323)