Author Topic: splitting rhubarb crown (Read 5553 times)

ellied · « **on:** May 15, 2011, 10:54:20 am »

This year my rhubarb hasn't been as good as previous few years - lots of the stalks are coming through thin and weedy and I'm wondering if it's time to split the crown to avoid overcrowding?

If so, when is a good time to split it? I won't do it while it's still producing which should be another month, but then is it best done sooner or wait til autumn or next spring or...

Fleecewife · « **Reply #1 on:** May 15, 2011, 10:58:46 am »

Rhubarb loves to be split in the winter when it's totally dormant, and even left exposed to a bit of frost while it's out of the ground. Make sure you dig in loads of good manure to the new planting sites, and top dress with manure each winter.
Mine has gone berserk this year and grown huge flowers - I should have cut them off but sometimes I like to just stand back and see what happens

Hopewell · « **Reply #2 on:** May 15, 2011, 04:35:01 pm »

It may be that your rhubarb is suffering from the dry weather we have had. It also doesn't do all that well on dry sandy soil, unless lots of manure is dug in to help retain moisture.

We put loads of manure around the plants and don't split them and find that works well. Having said that the crowns are now huge and really could do with splitting just to make the plants more manageable. Needs to be done when dormant and you shouldn't harvest any in the first year after splitting and only sparingly the year after.

Maybe the other reason our rhubarb does so well is that we are just outside the Yorkshire rhubarb triangle, where the best British rhubarb is grown.

sabrina · « **Reply #3 on:** May 17, 2011, 09:49:03 am »

I slit mine around October time and always feed with well rotted horse manure, grows like mad. Also started watering last month as the ground was so dry.

lill · « **Reply #4 on:** May 17, 2011, 11:44:50 am »

hi ellie,
they do say that the rhubarb should be split in the back end of the year, let the first frost get to it and then replant it where you want it to grow they following year. I have dug my rhubarb up and it does make the roots hardier.

suziequeue · « **Reply #5 on:** May 25, 2011, 05:28:23 pm »

What sort of soil? or does in matter. I have a small bank which I don;t know what to do with at the mo and my rhubarb needs splitting.

The soil is quite heavy.

Will it be OK if I dig in plenty of manure?

Hopewell · « **Reply #6 on:** May 25, 2011, 06:32:15 pm »

Rhubarb likes moist conditions so heavy soil is ok and it likes manure/compost. We have heavy soil and puts lots of compost etc around it and it does well. It's also ok if it is a frosty place as it needs enough days/degrees of frost before it will start producing. The farms that still produce forced rhubarb know how to work out how much frost each variety needs before they can bring the roots in to start the forcing process.

suziequeue · « **Reply #7 on:** May 27, 2011, 06:52:53 am »

Thanks hopewell. I think the small bank will be ideal for next year.

Hopewell · « **Reply #8 on:** May 27, 2011, 01:48:01 pm »

Quote from: suziequeue on May 27, 2011, 06:52:53 am

Thanks hopewell. I think the small bank will be ideal for next year.

You're welcome.

Greenerlife · « **Reply #9 on:** May 27, 2011, 06:00:48 pm »

My damn rabbits have split my rhubarb plant for me!

Came up right in the middle of it and chewed every single stalk! Now have to fill up an absolutely enormous rabbit warren, and hope that the rhubarb comes back next year!