Rhubarb

[andrewo]

I love my rhubarb, as you all know! Hated it as a child. But only discovered in the last year that rhubarb is the only cannibal of the veg family (is it a fruit or something else?). When you cut off the stalks, you can put the leaves on the compost heap but many worry because the leaves are poisonous, though the posion leeches out after a few weeks. You can actually just lie the leaves back down around the rhubarb crowns and they will decompose and feed the crown. And you will get better production the following year. I did this last year for the first time and one crown was doing really badly last year but it is now starting to bud, I can count 15 solid buds on the crown. So something in it must work!

[Nicos]

No wonder you want to start making wine!!! Do you know what varieties you have?

[andrewo]

Haven't a clue, most of them have been inherited but there are two kinds there, one very pink and the other that turns green quickly.

[Geordie]

Rhubarb leaves, even although they ARE poisonous, can be used to make an effective organic spray that will kill leaf-eating insects in your garden. This spray is harmless to bees and breaks down in the soil quickly.
To make the rhubarb spray, boil a few pounds of fresh rhubarb leaves in a few pints of water for 20 minutes. Allow the liquid to cool and strain off the liquor into a container.

NOTE: BE SURE TO USE OLD UTENSILS AS THIS WILL STAIN AND POISON THE POT AND THE STRAINER!

Dissolve some soap flakes (approximately 4 ounces) into the mixture while stirring it vigorously. Pour into a spray bottle and apply to infested plants.
REMEMBER! - DON'T USE THIS SPRAY BOTTLE FOR ANYTHING ELSE OTHER THAN YOUR RHUBARB SPRAY!

[Nicos]

Geordie - I'm sure this must be worth trying..we use 'bar keepers friend' to clean our work surfaces in the kitchen and it's fantastic!!! When we cook rhubarb in an old pan it shines afterwards like crazy! It's obviously got a very potent ingredient...I said in jest if the rhubarb schnapps doesn't work out, that it would be worth trying as a weedkiller.....maybe this is the next step forward in organic gardening!!!?

[Geordie]

I like the idea of creating experimental alcoholic potions under the guise of organic weed killer!!

[Nicos]

Maybe this prehistoric plant is a step into our future!!! Am really looking forward to the rhubarb schnapps....who is going to patent it then???? Add some ginger or something and it's all yours!!! ( have I just given away my pension fund??? )

[Berr]

Does anybody know of a rhubarb specialist from whom can be bought a number of varieties? I've always been a great rhubarb fan but am starting from schnapps...sorry...SCRATCH again.

[andrewo]

If I were you I would actually buy the rhubarb in the green, the problem with catalogue buying is that you can get a diseased crown, this is often seen on a growing crown by poor stalks that are soft or decomposing. Also, this is bad but if you sniff the crown it should smell earthy, if fishy the crown is rotten inside and will spread to your other crowns. I would try and find someone close to you, where you can see the crowns in bud. But if you're patient:
http://www.seedfest.co.uk/seeds/rhubarb/rhubarb.html

[Berr]

Thanks, Andrew. Have grown Victoria from seed in the past but it's the waiting I'm not so keen on! Having said that, I do remember being surprised at how quickly they became quite decent-sized plants.

[Geordie]

Berr,

Try these guys: http://www.chrisbowers.co.uk/rhubarb.asp

[Lesley Jay]

I can't believe the price - £5.50 a crown and we have to throw our spare crowns away!!

[andrewo]

This is cheap, my local garden centre was charging £9 for a one year old crown! And that is the cheapest I've found. The problem with rhubarb is that they've had a bad deal, because of terrible school cooks, and terrible preparation, people are scared of the stuff. They hear poisonous leaves and run! I used to hate the stuff, until I tried fresh and there is no comparison, it is lovely and very versatile.

[Berr]

Rhubarb, rhubarb.

Thanks for the Chris Bowers tip, Geordie. Like Lesley, I was a tad taken aback by the £5.50. But there are a couple of cvs there that I hadn't heard of before. I wonder, are there any rhubarb fanatics out there who can advise on/ recommend particular cvs? ( Look what you've started, Nicos.)

[Geordie]

I only pointed you to Chris Bowyers because they carry a good range. I agree £5.50 is expensive, but Tesco is charging £4.40 per kilo at the moment so its all relative.

I would buy common crowns at cheaper prices and use more specialist and invariably expensive if you want a less common variety!

Lesley....put your spare crowns on ebay!