The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Vegetables => Topic started by: Fluffywelshsheep on February 27, 2009, 05:16:22 pm

Title: My rhubarb is alive !!!!!
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on February 27, 2009, 05:16:22 pm
The fabled  Rhubarb is alive !!!!!!
yippy

Just went to empty the soil out and I found it fully completely budded and forming in the pot, So i have told hubby his next job is to make a bed in front of the compost bins for the rhubarb to go in to.
Title: Re: My rhubarb is alive !!!!!
Post by: sellickbhoy on February 27, 2009, 06:36:53 pm
i'd noticed it popping it's head through a few days ago, i've now got shoots and leaves out - it's rocketing through

i'm delighted as i planted it last year and refused to touch it (as you are meant to) for the 1st year. but this year it'll be getting scoffed!!!

Title: Re: My rhubarb is alive !!!!!
Post by: sandy on February 27, 2009, 08:09:34 pm
I am envious...Rhubarb crumble......we LOVE rhubarb and bought 4 plants last year and they ALL died. not sure where to plant any in our garden as it is full of bulbs, plants or chickens!!!
Title: Re: My rhubarb is alive !!!!!
Post by: Rosemary on February 27, 2009, 08:38:31 pm
Ours is sprouting - will split it this weekend, Annie!
Title: Re: My rhubarb is alive !!!!!
Post by: doganjo on February 27, 2009, 08:39:09 pm
I was JUST going to ask! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;)
Title: Re: My rhubarb is alive !!!!!
Post by: ballingall on February 28, 2009, 10:45:10 am
I split our huge bit of rhubarb last weekend, and replanted it in 3 bits. It was right in the middle of the veggie patch, which was a bit of a silly place for it. I'd like to pick from it this year though, because the other 2 patches of rhubarb we have aren't as nice tasting....

Beth
Title: Re: My rhubarb is alive !!!!!
Post by: carl on February 28, 2009, 12:46:10 pm
i covered mine in well rotted horse muck in janaury, and put big plant pots over them( with little holes in the bottom) . They are now quite well sprouted like the forced stuf in the shops. rhubarb crumble this weekend, yummy. i think it is the best it has been sincr split last year.
Title: Re: My rhubarb is alive !!!!!
Post by: Rosemary on February 28, 2009, 01:23:23 pm
We've still got last years in the freezer - with good management we should be never be rhubarb-less!
Title: Re: My rhubarb is alive !!!!!
Post by: juliag on February 28, 2009, 06:57:01 pm
more than can be said for mine, nothing, zilch, kaput , zero, ah well never mind, another glass of falling over water and I wont care!
Title: Re: My rhubarb is alive !!!!!
Post by: carole h on February 28, 2009, 07:50:50 pm
Pity you are so far away from us Sandy - we've got far too much rhubarb - and I hate not being able to use it all over the season.
We still have several bags of gooseberries in the freezer - a lovely reminder of summer .... mmmm....crumble!!
Title: Re: My rhubarb is alive !!!!!
Post by: juliag on March 16, 2009, 09:49:16 pm
Hi linz mine is now up too!!!!!!!!!!!!! yipee
Title: Re: My rhubarb is alive !!!!!
Post by: northfifeduckling on March 29, 2009, 05:19:41 pm
Mine's not looking so good now. The leaves seem quite leathery and it's growing unusually slow - maybe it's the night frosts (yes, still!) drying the plants up too much. I gave the plants some late mulch and lots of water. I hope this helps as I was so looking forward to it! How long do you all keep the same plants that they are producing well for you? :&>
Title: Re: My rhubarb is alive !!!!!
Post by: Rosemary on March 29, 2009, 07:46:24 pm
Have you limed the soil? Ours looked a bit done in a couple of years ago and I'm sure I read somewhere that it needs a slightly alkaline soil - all he manure makes it more acidic. I gave it "some" lime and it came a way much better.
Title: Re: My rhubarb is alive !!!!!
Post by: northfifeduckling on March 29, 2009, 07:51:38 pm
No, I didn't. I know the soil is quite acidic as three are lots of buttercups around. In the books I looked it said that rhubarb likes it acidic, so I didn't add lime. I might do if you had good experience with it. :&>
Title: Re: My rhubarb is alive !!!!!
Post by: sellickbhoy on March 29, 2009, 08:29:11 pm
i've sown 3 or 4 rhubarb seeds jus over a week ago, the 1st of them is popping through, so fingers crossed i can get a few plants from seed to add to my crowns already planted.

if the seedlings show signs of surviving/groing, i'll sow a few more.

Title: Re: My rhubarb is alive !!!!!
Post by: carole h on March 29, 2009, 08:35:39 pm
My rhubarb grows in the most horrible clay soil, and all I ever do is throw a bit of wood ash on it in spring when I go round the fruit bushes.
It's looking good at the moment.
We had a quite a hard frost last night (in Lincolnshire) - the chicken's water was frozen over and the pond - complete with lots of frog spawn, had a layer of ice. It's cold again tonight - don't hold out much hope for the frog spawn!
Title: Re: My rhubarb is alive !!!!!
Post by: northfifeduckling on March 29, 2009, 10:04:18 pm
Thanks for the tip with the wood ash. Has anyone tried soot for fruit bushes and rhubarb like they did in the Victorian farm for roses? I wonder if it's any good around food? I'm hesitating there...
We had the toads out last week, all toad spawn was for nothing here as well, frozen water bowls here too! :&>
Title: Re: My rhubarb is alive !!!!!
Post by: northfifeduckling on April 04, 2009, 06:07:21 pm
Most of the plants are looking lovely now, that suffering one might just be at the end of it's life span or it has rot (have to ask who may have cut it instead of pulling it last year!!!). Will look after the season ends end replace by a split root. :&>
Title: Re: My rhubarb is alive !!!!!
Post by: carole h on April 04, 2009, 09:03:57 pm
I noticed today that some of my crowns have stalks ready for pulling ...on un-forced plants. Seems very early to me. Rhubarb crumble tomorrow! :yum: