Hows your rhubarb?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

fryup wrote: »

^^^^^^^^^^^

tbh i can't remember

Then, that's the issue. Revitalise it next spring.

smacl

Just harvested most of my rhubarb. Not a great crop and looking a little dried up.

uck51js9zml2yt

I put down some rhubarb a month ago and it just died.

Nothing coming up at all.
The ground was well manured.

macraignil

Sam Purple Mouse wrote: »

I put down some rhubarb a month ago and it just died.

Nothing coming up at all.
The ground was well manured.

A month ago would be an unusual time of year to plant rhubarb. I read before that January and February is the usual time to divide or move it. At that time of year it has no leaves but is starting to develop buds that go onto grow into stalks and leaves. If it was planted with full leaves it might have required too much water before the roots had time to settle.

The Red Ace

Second year in a row having great rhubarb from an older plant, two years ago covered it over the winter with a tumble dryer drum and when I went to remove it in the Spring couldn't hardly do so with so much growth.

uck51js9zml2yt

macraignil wrote: »

A month ago would be an unusual time of year to plant rhubarb. I read before that January and February is the usual time to divide or move it. At that time of year it has no leaves but is starting to develop buds that go onto grow into stalks and leaves. If it was planted with full leaves it might have required too much water before the roots had time to settle.

Garden was late getting ploughed. It was Aldi best so I can suffer the loss.

smacl

The Red Ace wrote: »

Second year in a row having great rhubarb from an older plant, two years ago covered it over the winter with a tumble dryer drum and when I went to remove it in the Spring couldn't hardly do so with so much growth.

My folks used to use old clay chimney post back in the day which were quite attractive. I like the idea of lovely pink forced rhubarb but just want something aesthetically reasonable to force it through. My plants are coming on ten years old so should probably consider splitting. Also Aldi's best FWIW.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I use two old black plastic bins - The one's we had before wheelie bins. Alternated around the plants each year. Lovely sweet rhubarb.

smacl wrote: »

My folks used to use old clay chimney post back in the day which were quite attractive. I like the idea of lovely pink forced rhubarb but just want something aesthetically reasonable to force it through. My plants are coming on ten years old so should probably consider splitting. Also Aldi's best FWIW.

fryup

"and on the third day it rose again"

i should never have doubted it, it never lets me down....just a bit of weeding, dead heading and liquid seaweed feed...and waa la

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I'll stop harvesting ours this week, to allow the plants build for next year.

pnecilcaser

Beast! this thing has gone huge of over the last few years, I have split it twice already and it still churns out stalks. Got it for free from a garden of a friend in wicklow. I laugh when I see rhubarb stalks for sale in supermarkets.

Graces7

Yearning.. it was on my list this year but there was too much else on it... A garden without rhubarb ...

Seth Brundle

Currently have two large saucepans of rhubarb cooking for both this evening and for freezing.
I'm a happy camper!

pnecilcaser

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Currently have two large saucepans of rhubarb cooking for both this evening and for freezing.
I'm a happy camper!

Will you just make pie or crumble?

I was trying to think of ways I could freeze small separate bits, imaging a block maybe 2.5 times the size of a standard ice cube. Then I could take one out every night to defrost for morning porridge.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

We just chop it up raw and bung it in the freezer in small bags of a portion or two and use all winter as we wish.

pnecilcaser wrote: »

Will you just make pie or crumble?

I was trying to think of ways I could freeze small separate bits, imaging a block maybe 2.5 times the size of a standard ice cube. Then I could take one out every night to defrost for morning porridge.

gozunda

Two varieties of rhubarb - early variety suffered during the dry spell. The later variety doing very well. Picking as required atm.

magicbastarder

i had a phenomenal apple and rhubarb cider a year or two back, must try making some myself.

Seth Brundle

pnecilcaser wrote: »

Will you just make pie or crumble?

I was trying to think of ways I could freeze small separate bits, imaging a block maybe 2.5 times the size of a standard ice cube. Then I could take one out every night to defrost for morning porridge.

This batch has been stewed and will be used with custard over the next few months. (Mmmmmmmmmm)
Next batch will be used for baking.

gozunda

magicbastarder wrote: »

i had a phenomenal apple and rhubarb cider a year or two back, must try making some myself.

Recipe for that if you have it! plz

magicbastarder

none yet, it was a commercially produced one, but it was lovely. i guess the main thing to get right is quite how much rhubarb juice to use, and that would be down to experimentation?

homer911

Picture above indicates stalks have been cut rather than pulled - I was always told to pull my rhubarb - what do others do?

tcif

We pull the stalks (also heard that's better for the plant than cutting).

pnecilcaser

You know you're probably right! cutting is just easier I guess. I haven't had any problems with disease yet anyway

fryup

my rhubarb is struggling again this year?? would a sprinkling of potash do the trick?

looksee

Mine is like yours, I have one plant that is doing great and I have pulled some of it already no problem. Two other little plants look very sad, very small, no idea what the difference is. I was going to give them a bit of bagged manure just to encourage them. I'll do it while I think of it!

magicbastarder

bit late now, but i think you need to lift it and split it.

macraignil

Mine is looking fairly similar but I'm just putting it down to it still being a bit cold at night for it to be growing at its full potential. It got a few barrows of manure over winter so it should not be short of nutrients anyway.

Happy gardening!

phormium

Mine is terrible this year, one teeny tiny little stalk starting from a spot that has about 6 plants, I split them about 2 yrs ago and gave the surplus to a friend where it is thriving! I also put bags of manure on it last year and was expecting it to be revitalised this year but it's pathetic!

fryup

will the forthcoming bitter cold nights - be good or bad for it? should i cover it with tarpaulin?😶

fryup

i gave it a good drenching of seaweed feed - hope it does the trick

how about potash should i throw it on as well??