The Poultry Keeper

mojo · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 6:48 pm Post subject: RHUBARB

been given 3 woody looking roots? so now what do i do with them to get a bumper crop............i have planted them.....watered well ........but now what........i am waiting for a rhubarb tart so badly

NannyP · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 6:50 pm Post subject:

You'll need to let then establish, and I beleive it's best to do that for their first growing year......I planted one early this year, and did nothing with it. I am looking foreward to eating the new, tender shoots next year.

Oh, and don't let a man with a debrousseyer near it Rolling Eyes

mojo · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 7:13 pm Post subject:

so you will have rhubarb ready for pies in time for next years visits?

kated · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 1846 Location: norfolk

The old chap who used to live next door to us dug up his rhubarb roots each year in Oct/Nov and threw them on the shed roof. He said they needed to be well frosted. He replanted them in Feb and put loads and loads of well rotted muck on top. His rhubarb was fabulous - about 3 and a half foot tall.

CP · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 1:11 am Post subject:

Duckie · Joined: 24 Sep 2007 Posts: 201

muck, muck, lots more muck, and come spring (when they start to sprout) stick an upturned dustbin or very expensive rhubarb forcer over them otherwise you get all leaf and no yumminess Sad

Chickweed · Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Posts: 87 Location: Baldock, Herts

We do absolutely nothing to our rhubarb, it does its own thing and we get more than we know what to do with. Our friend used buckets to force at the begining of the season but after the initial young crop there did not seem to be any advantage.
Pete makes really good jam and crumble so its well worth growing.
Sally

NannyP · Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 8:52 pm Post subject:

Mine has been to hell and back, and either got well frosted or well mown, when Mark was mowing the weedy (veggie) plot!

Anyway, it is coming back well, and I have covered it with a rusty (very rusty) old bucket, mainly to protect it from rotovator man!!

Am really looking forward to eating some this year Very Happy

Woodburner · Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 9:05 pm Post subject:

NannyP · Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 9:12 pm Post subject:

Yes..one of them too!

I have some pictures of man with rotovater, but Photobucket and dial up are unhappy together tonight, so don't hold your breath!

layla · Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 533 Location: West Midlands

ooooo i love rhubarb georgous stuff Very Happy

NannyP · Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 10:31 pm Post subject:

me rhubarb so far

man being very careful not to tread on the rhubarb!

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1360 Location: Leicestershire

Barny_Velder · Joined: 29 Dec 2007 Posts: 164 Location: North Wales Coast

Mine are flying again now, took a bit of a knock the other week with the frost but it is coming on well now. Time to get a pot* over them:)

*okok maybe not a forcing pot but an Asda freebie flower pot.

vanessa · Joined: 24 Sep 2005 Posts: 1241 Location: Correze

It's MOST important not to pull even 1 stalk in the first year, Mojo, to let them build up strength and a good root system. Give 'em plenty of muck if you can, well rotted of course - any animal will do, even chooks. Then next year, ENJOY!! Smile