The message
from Janet Tweedy contains these words:
In article , Jaques
d'Alltrades writes

lots of good advice about rhubarb growing and feeding. Most of which I
have done but wondered if I ought to split my crop or buy new.

Split it. That's all they do with 'new' stock.

If your rhubarb flowers regularly, it might pay to replace that.

The stuff my old man heaved out wasn't only 'not very good', there were
hardly any sticks thicker than my index finger.

Feeding it as I did, oh, and I forgot to mention, lashings of liquid
feed made from nettles, kitchen waste &c, and leaving the plants
untouched for a year resulted in some sticks as thick as a
ten-year-old's wrist.

Thanks for all the information, I hadn't realised the hole had to be
that big!

It doesn't *HAVE* to be, but it pays. The root will go down nearly that
deep if there is nutrient for it, and the deeper the root, the better
the crop.

Oh, and a mature crown will reward you for a lot of watering. It is
(almost) impossible to give rhubarb too much water. (I gave mine 4
gallons, yesterday, and if it doesn't rain today, it'll get another
dousing tonight.)

Some Tomorite or similar is appreciated too.

I would like to have bought a new variety as this might extend
the season or might just give me slightly more tender rhubarb, as, even
when young my rhubarb is quite 'sturdy' I would have like to have gone
for a champagne variety there are a couple I believe, as mine is
probably Victoria.

Well fed rhubarb grows more quickly, consequently is more tender, but by
all means, add other varieties. Remember though, that rhubarb wine is a
no-no for anyone with arthritis or similar.

Will start digging this week! Haven't got old shoes and bones would be
dug up by the dogs but the rest is fine

Importune your friends for old shoes, or your local shoemender for
offcuts, etc If you put the bones in the bottom of the pit, you can
cover the patch with wire netting - but large enough to let the stalks
grow through.

The other thing you can use is bonemeal and/or hoof and horn. Those, and
wool, release nutrients (phosphates, mainly) slowly into the soil.