Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

New to rhubarb, and think I have a problem :(

Collapse

X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • New to rhubarb, and think I have a problem :(

    Hi guys. I got a rhubarb crown from a friends alllotment a while ago now. It's started to sprout and do well, but it seems like everytime a stem starts to grow, it gets to about a centimetre thick, then, flops, goes soft and goes pale and dies. This has been happening for the last few weeks now. I keep thinking it's getting better as it starts sprouting lovely new strong stems again, but then, they flop and die. Any ideas what's going wrong? It's in a side border pretty much on its own, I've given it room as I really wants loads of the stuff. It's by a fence, so quite sheltered, it gets sun but not all day. On the opposite side of the garden is a rhubarb that I got from Thompson and Morgan about two years ago. It's called strawberry sensation. This one is so small, the stems are about as long as your finger and 1/2 centimetre wide. It's a bit rubbish actually! This one even though it's rubbish is a bit floppy too. hmmmm...
    You may say I'm a dreamer... But I'm not the only one...


    I'm an official nutter - an official 'cropper' of a nutter! I am sooooo pleased to be a cropper! Hurrah!

  • #2
    What is your soil like Ancee?

    Comment


    • #3
      I have a similar problem. My soil is heavy clay. It's a baby thing, rescued from a garden cafe. Notice today a leaf that was all curled up. Had two stems get about as long as a little finger and it was goodnight Vienna. I'm going to blame the cold nights.
      Horticultural Hobbit

      http://twitter.com/#!/HorticulturalH
      https://www.facebook.com/pages/Horti...085870?sk=info

      http://horticulturalhobbit.com/

      Comment


      • #4
        If you've got any manure spare, try giving it a mulch plus plenty of water, can't remember the last time it rained. Failing that some chicken pellets may help. I think it is in need of a good feed & drink.
        sigpic“Gorillas are very intelligent, but they don't have to be as delicate as chimps -- they can just smash open the termite nest,”
        --------------------------------------------------------------------
        Official Member Of The Nutters Club - Rwanda Branch.
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
        Sent from my ZX Spectrum with no predictive text..........
        -----------------------------------------------------------
        KOYS - King Of Yellow Stickers..............

        Comment


        • #5
          I have two rhubarb plants and they've both been erratic this year. They've only really perked up this last few days with the warmer weather. Like H.H. I blame the cold spring.

          Comment


          • #6
            I have a couple of pathetic rhubarb plants too - very floppy I suspect its because they're in an out of the way corner, and need more sun and more water/feed. They'll be moved this year as they're too spindly to be of any use.
            Rhubarb does take a couple of years to get established though, some that I planted last year are not really robust enough to pull yet. If your's are young plants they may be putting their energy into roots not shoots.

            Comment


            • #7
              I am with BM on this one rainfall has been very hit & miss since the last snow as he advise's plenty of water and a good feed.

              Potty
              Potty by name Potty by nature.

              By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.


              We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.

              Aesop 620BC-560BC

              sigpic

              Comment


              • #8
                I've been watering about 3 times a week for the last 2 weeks & it's really healthy & ready for munching.
                sigpic“Gorillas are very intelligent, but they don't have to be as delicate as chimps -- they can just smash open the termite nest,”
                --------------------------------------------------------------------
                Official Member Of The Nutters Club - Rwanda Branch.
                -------------------------------------------------------------------
                Sent from my ZX Spectrum with no predictive text..........
                -----------------------------------------------------------
                KOYS - King Of Yellow Stickers..............

                Comment


                • #9
                  Muck, water,muck,muck and muck and water. You really have to let it get established and if it tries to run to flower I'd be tempted to cut those off this year, too. Mine is in quite a darl place but it's on almost solid goat muck and I didn't touch it last year after I moved it there.

                  I hope that's not my stuff that's letting you down V.
                  Last edited by marchogaeth; 07-05-2013, 07:15 AM. Reason: needed more water!
                  "A life lived in fear is a life half lived."

                  PS. I just don't have enough time to say hello to everyone as they join so please take this as a delighted to see you here!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Not yours, M, they're huge already I must have brought a load of goat muck with them as they're romping away - I've eaten one stick, just to try

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by ancee View Post
                      It's by a fence, so quite sheltered
                      Do you water it? It won't get much rain, because the fence shelters it
                      All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Soil is rubbish. Am trying to improve it. I have been watering it, as we've had a lot of wind and the soil is like dust some days. I have some blood fish and bone powder in the shed, would that help if I sprinkled it around and then watered it in? Failing that I have a bottle of liqiud fertisilser?
                        You may say I'm a dreamer... But I'm not the only one...


                        I'm an official nutter - an official 'cropper' of a nutter! I am sooooo pleased to be a cropper! Hurrah!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Rubbish what? Clay, sand, stones, or what?

                          It's no good adding fertilisers to poor soil, what you need to add is organic matter and lots of it. Compost, manure, grass clippings, etc. Ideally this should have been done before you planted your rhubarb. The organic matter holds water in the soil.

                          When you water, how much do you give your plant?

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            The council cleared it last August. It had been a rubbish tip before. (I've got photos of it on here somewhere) They got a big digger and took everything and we were left with mud. Then with all the rain it turned it into a swamp for a while. I'd say it's really got clay, and a lot of sand. Full of stones too Each part is different within a few metres. Two of the beds I've got are just dust and sand. Then the next two are clay. Dandelions are the only thing growing and this awful thick grass stuff. Oh! And there are these little seedlings coming through. I'm going to take some photos. They have two round leaves which are patterned. They almost look like bean sprouts as they start to shoot. The third leaf is sort of shaped like ivy is. They are everywhere, but I can't figure out what has seeded everywhere as I don't know what it was that the council cleared
                            You may say I'm a dreamer... But I'm not the only one...


                            I'm an official nutter - an official 'cropper' of a nutter! I am sooooo pleased to be a cropper! Hurrah!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I really soak it when I water it by the way. Looks like I'm going to have to save up and buy some compost, as it's going to be a while before mine 'grows'
                              You may say I'm a dreamer... But I'm not the only one...


                              I'm an official nutter - an official 'cropper' of a nutter! I am sooooo pleased to be a cropper! Hurrah!

                              Comment

                              Latest Topics

                              Collapse

                              Recent Blog Posts

                              Collapse
                              Working...
                              X