On the local Sydney radio gardening program, a caller rang in to ask
about the colour of her rhubarb, it not being as red as it usually is.
The gardening expert said that temperatures above 25C cause rhubarb to
not develop its full colour, and that the 3 or 4 days earlier in the month
when our temperatures (it's Summer here) were well above 25C would be the
cause.

I've never heard of this. My parents have had rhubarb growing for over
40 years, and even in mid-Summer when their daytime temperatures are
rarely under 25C for weeks on end their plants always had plenty of red
stems.

Every other gardening expert I've heard talk of the colour of rhubarb
has said that it's genetic, and that there is nothing apart from replacing
the plants will change green stemed rhubard into red!

Any one have any experience with warmer days causing rhubarb to grow with
a duller stem colour?
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)