Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi all
I hope im posting this in the right place
I am a complete newbie and would like to know when and how to grow rhubarb.
I thought this was a fairly easy one to try but my last attempt failed.
The crown ( I think that is what its called) I planted in a very large pot but it seemed to rot.
Any advice would be welcome

Regards
shaz

Hi Shaz

I've moved your thread to 'Feeling Fruity' as the Growing Techniques board is for reference only.

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Shortie

"There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children; one of these is roots, the other wings" - Hodding Carter

They do much better in the ground although some people do grow them in pots. They are really heavy feeders so in the ground you can surround them with a good mulch of manure or home-made compost which they love. They are fairly hard to kill - you've been unlucky I think. Maybe you overwatered and killed it with kindness. Have another go. It's lovely stuff!

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It takes more oil than vinegar to make a good salad dressing.

vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated Sept 7th 2008

Hello there! Welcome to the Vine.
Unlucky...yes

Try planting a new one with the crown raised further above the surface of the soil surface.

From what I gather from those gardeners here on the Vine who have acquired the difficult skill of killing off rhubarb...planting too deeply seems to be the common problem!

And a Flum says - loads of muck/feed near the crown. ( when I've planted my new ones out, I've never had the roots and stems in direct contact with the manure - could that be the secret formula??)

Other thing to think about is where you bought it from- ie how had they stored it???
There seem to be a lot of plants in plastic bags and peat-type soil hanging up in garden centres which have dried out or over sprouted. Pick a healthy looking plant- or better still nip down to a local allotment and ask if someone could sell you part of a crown- they'd probably give you some for free.

Let us know how you get on!

Thanks shortie i will hopefully get the hang of things!!

Flummery I will have another go. Maybe not so much kind water this time.

Well Nicos it was purchased from a farm shop it was packaged in a plastic bag with peat as you mentioned, so I will think twice where I go to get another.

Anyway thanks fopr the great comments I will bear these in mind
cheers
shaz

I've also had no luck with rhubarb yet despite buying 3 crowns in the last 2 years. 2 of them did absolutely nothing and the 3rd produced a tiny leaf which was snapped off somehow and has since done nothing!
I've now been given a bit of a friend's plant which looks like it's happy (despite being transported from Norfolk to West yorkshire!), so fingers crossed for a crop next year!
xx

If you buy a crown from any shop, have a look at it. If it's really dried out you'll probably lose it. Also rhubarb doesn't do well in pots - it makes deep roots and a huge crown. If you want to grow it in a pot, then start it in a small one that will take the crown plus around 2 inches wider and deeper. If you put it straight into a huge pot and water generously you will simply drown it. When the crown in the small pot shows signs of life and roots appear through the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot, you can transplant it to a larger pot (gradually building up to the final size). Bear in mind you can't crop the first year as the leaves are needed to provide food to build up the rootstock for future years.