growing rhubarb from seed

[mrscorpio]

Hi all -- I am excited
I know its sad but me and my family are jinxed with small feeble rhubarb.
We get so little rhubarb that my wife invented rhubarb and pineapple crumble.
The pineapple was the biggest tin of fruit we had in the cupboard to fill the bowl.

I was admiring some victoria rhubarb plants at the local market 2 weeks ago. They looked very healthy plants which were filling 8 inch pots (they needed bigger pots really)
The chap said they were one year old and were grown from seed.

On the way home I bought a packet of Victoria seed and planted 48 of them.
This morning the first 3 popped up to say hello.

I know it will be a couple of years before I get a harvest but the field next to me will be planted out when the rhubarb is ready.

Does any one have any tips for the growing of these plants or would it be the same as usual --- moving to bigger pots as they out grow the ones they are in.

The seed packet said the plants should be put in final location in the autumn.

[broadway]

Hi all -- I am excited
I know its sad but me and my family are jinxed with small feeble rhubarb.
We get so little rhubarb that my wife invented rhubarb and pineapple crumble.
The pineapple was the biggest tin of fruit we had in the cupboard to fill the bowl.

I was admiring some victoria rhubarb plants at the local market 2 weeks ago. They looked very healthy plants which were filling 8 inch pots (they needed bigger pots really)
The chap said they were one year old and were grown from seed.

On the way home I bought a packet of Victoria seed and planted 48 of them.
This morning the first 3 popped up to say hello.

I know it will be a couple of years before I get a harvest but the field next to me will be planted out when the rhubarb is ready.

Does any one have any tips for the growing of these plants or would it be the same as usual --- moving to bigger pots as they out grow the ones they are in.

The seed packet said the plants should be put in final location in the autumn.

Hi mrscorpio,

I'm no expert growing anything but I have 6 rhubarb crowns which I grew from seed 3 years ago. Will have my first crop this year All I did was pot up then put in large containers, then the ground, then back in containers, and now in a perm raised bed. As you can guess they are pretty hardy.

Good luck

[quark1]

I also need to replace my rhubarb and have seed - shame it takes 3 years to crop - but I'm sure the wait will be worth it.

[mrscorpio]

"""As you can guess they are pretty hardy.""""

Thats the problem I have -- I did have 3 crowns, now only have 1.
They are in good well drained soil, I water when its dry and still 2 died. The 3rd has never taken off and the crown has never spread.
I did buy 2 more crowns a month ago and planted them in different parts of the garden to see how I get on.
But if I get 48 crowns from seed surely I will eventually get a rhubarb crumble. I know you dont over pick rhubarb -- so 1 stem from each plant = lots of rhubarb.

[rustylady]

But if I get 48 crowns from seed surely I will eventually get a rhubarb crumble. I know you dont over pick rhubarb -- so 1 stem from each plant = lots of rhubarb.

Yes, and loads of space used up. I would think that eventually they will need to be at least 3 feet apart. My brain's gone on strike, praps someone else can work out the area you will need.

[WrexTheDragon]

8 rows by 6 would give you 21 foot by 21 foot with the overhang plus you need to build in a few pathways.

I get between 3-4 kilo of rhubarb from 1 crown every year, but I never pull more than half the plant.

You must be going into the crumble business with 48 plants.

What are you going to do with all the leaves that get composted and you will need a few truck load of muck every year?

[Madasafish]

I grew from seed and next year was eating rhubarb...

[mrscorpio]

You are all assuming the damn stuff grows. As I said my whole family struggles with rhubarb. The field next to my house ( the rough area of the municiple golf course ) is big enough to take all 48 plants and more. On past growing experience if all 48 grow as well as any I have ever had, then I may manage 1 crumble a year.
Why does every one else say its easy to grow?
I think I may know the secret now. All the monster rhubarb appears to be in gardens where the owners dont like it. Therefore its never picked, so I assume it rots back into itself every year.

So If I want the perfect rhubarb I must never pick it. -- mmmmmm!!!!!! 48 plants going to waste.!!!!!

[Madasafish]

Our ground is heavy clay about 30cms down and damp all year round.
Rhubarb grows quickly and bulky so it needs lots of moisture.

[solway cropper]

Is there a curse on your garden?

Rhubarb that won't grow....what a strange idea.

[WrexTheDragon]

I only know 2 ways to kill rhubarb.

Shade and over picking the crop.

For me it just grows and grows, one of the reasons why it is so easy to get crowns.

[mrscorpio]

Is there a curse on your garden?

Rhubarb that won't grow....what a strange idea.

The curse followed me from my last garden.
It also goes out visiting my dads garden and my brothers garden.

Is there something i could spray on it.

[mrscorpio]

I only know 2 ways to kill rhubarb.

Shade and over picking the crop.

For me it just grows and grows, one of the reasons why it is so easy to get crowns.

I now have one in shade, one in part shade, and one in full sun. The seedlings will be in full sun in the field.

PS its never overpicked -- It never grows enough to pick, thank you to the inventor of tinned pineapple to bulk out my crumble.