Farm1 wrote:
"misterroy" wrote in message

growing for a market stall, seeds are cheaper than roots, I am
prepared
to wait for the seeds to grow.

??? As a cattle producer, I know that a year lost where we don't sell
any cattle is is a year of profits gone.

You will lose more money from waiting for the seeds to turn into a
croppable plant than you will from using crowns.

Agreed. I grew rhubarb from seed many years ago, both for fun and
because I was short of a few bob. IIRC, it was three years or more
before I could safely pull a few sticks. The other thing was that the
plants were fascinatingly variable: I had to assess which seedlings to
keep when they were still very small. It was very interesting, and it
didn't matter enormously for an amateur; but for commercial purposes,
where margins are crucial, my selection would probably have been way
off. I'm not convinced that the named varieties will come true from
seed: mine was from Sutton's, and I don't think they gave it a name.

Anyway, I've now become quite interested in this form of rhubarb and
did a bit of research. The first thing I did was to drag out my
Phillips and Rix and the only form of rhubarb with a "champagne" in
the name that they mention is a variety called "Hawke's Champagne".
They recommend it as an early variety. I then did a hunt around the
net and found another variety by the name of "Stein's Champagne".
According to one site I found, these two varieties are the ones
recommended as a result of RHS taste tests as being the top varieties
for eating.

Yes, "Champagne" is an old-established variety, alongside "Timperley
Early". I don't know which the professionals use.

But, having gained that info, I'm now wondering what it is you want to
do with this rhubarb. Do you want to sell forced rhubarb at the
beginning of the season or do you just want an early rhubarb before
others can produce it or do you want to sell the best tasting rhubarb?

If I was selling at a market stall, I know that I would just try to
have a good looking rhubarb. Not many people are decent enough cooks
these days to be too fussy about bought rhubarb. People who are fussy
will grow their own even if they have to resort to putting it in a
giant pot to grow.

Well, yes. But even going by appearance does imply choosing a reliably
good variety to start with. I'll be surprised if commercial crops
aren't blanched in Oz, as they are everywhere else: you can't really
afford to offer stems with green on them for sale. A small producer of
anything, whether rhubarb or cars, has to aim up-market. The UK
commercial boys grow the crowns outdoors, and then bring them on to
cropping in dark sheds -- in which it's said you can actually hear them
grow! (I think the sound is of the buds breaking their papery
covering.)

--
Mike.