A couple of weeks ago I planted two crowns of rhubarb, Victoria and
Tiperley Early. They are particularly precious because they're from my
late father's allotment. I have always assumed that rhubarb was fairly
hardy but, with the frosts upon us, I'm worried. Do I need to protect
the crowns from frost? Slugs are already a problem, so I need to deal
with that, but it's the frost issue that's really bothering me and Dr.
Hessayon's advice doesn't seem to cover hardiness ... except in the
matter of forcing.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

Spider wrote in :

A couple of weeks ago I planted two crowns of rhubarb, Victoria and
Tiperley Early. They are particularly precious because they're from my
late father's allotment. I have always assumed that rhubarb was fairly
hardy but, with the frosts upon us, I'm worried. Do I need to protect
the crowns from frost? Slugs are already a problem, so I need to deal
with that, but it's the frost issue that's really bothering me and Dr.
Hessayon's advice doesn't seem to cover hardiness ... except in the
matter of forcing.

Hello Spider,
Frost is not a problem with Rhubarb so dont worry.

In fact my dad used to dig up a large crown to split and leave it on top of
the soil to get a propper freezing before he put his shovel through it to
make 2 crowns or even half a dozen, then plant them in the coldest of
winter, and in spring up they come regular as clockwork.

He never used the rule of thumb of not picking the first year, he picked
them when there was a stalk available.
Rhubarb does like lots of manure or compost thrown over them sometime now.

I have some Victoria which I grew from seed from B&Q and this year it has
been brilliant.

Rhubarb also freezes exceptionally well. Just one dip into boiling water to
sterilise, then cool, and into the freezer.

I did have a problem this year with green/blackfly but a quick squirt with
a cheap squeasy(liquid soap) soap solution sorted that little problem out.

Baz

On 29/10/2010 19:17, Baz wrote:
wrote in :

A couple of weeks ago I planted two crowns of rhubarb, Victoria and
Tiperley Early. They are particularly precious because they're from my
late father's allotment. I have always assumed that rhubarb was fairly
hardy but, with the frosts upon us, I'm worried. Do I need to protect
the crowns from frost? Slugs are already a problem, so I need to deal
with that, but it's the frost issue that's really bothering me and Dr.
Hessayon's advice doesn't seem to cover hardiness ... except in the
matter of forcing.

Hello Spider,
Frost is not a problem with Rhubarb so dont worry.

In fact my dad used to dig up a large crown to split and leave it on top of
the soil to get a propper freezing before he put his shovel through it to
make 2 crowns or even half a dozen, then plant them in the coldest of
winter, and in spring up they come regular as clockwork.

He never used the rule of thumb of not picking the first year, he picked
them when there was a stalk available.
Rhubarb does like lots of manure or compost thrown over them sometime now.

I have some Victoria which I grew from seed from B&Q and this year it has
been brilliant.

Rhubarb also freezes exceptionally well. Just one dip into boiling water to
sterilise, then cool, and into the freezer.

I did have a problem this year with green/blackfly but a quick squirt with
a cheap squeasy(liquid soap) soap solution sorted that little problem out.

Baz


Thanks Baz, that is hugely reassuring! It's good to know it will take a
bit of winter punishment. I went out yesterday and had to *drag* a huge
slug off R. Victoria. UGH! (Have you ever seen a flying slug? :~})
Because slugs often chomp on frost damaged plants, and this slug was in
a hollowed stem, I was convinced something was very wrong. These two
crowns are so precious that I'm going to be paranoid until they sprout
in spring. You have made me feel much better, thanks, and I may even
sleep tonight.

I have been advised only to dress the soil with bonemeal at planting
time to encourage rooting. In spring, I will feed it on chix poo
pellets .. then stand well back :~)

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

Spider wrote in
:

I have been advised only to dress the soil with bonemeal at planting
time to encourage rooting. In spring, I will feed it on chix poo
pellets .. then stand well back :~)


I am sure next year you will be eating some rhubarb, and you have a good
variety.
Know what you mean about chicken pellets, but they work nicely despite the
pong.

Baz.

Janet wrote in
:

In article , says...

I have been advised only to dress the soil with bonemeal at planting
time to encourage rooting.
In spring, I will feed it on chix poo
pellets .. then stand well back :~)

Ideally one should dig a BIG, BIG planting hole ..several feet deep
and wide.. and load it up with as much organic material as possible,
including some that will break down slowly, like bones, old wool
jumpers, hair, leather boots, roadkill, seafood shells, dead fish, plus
manure (you can safely use fresh, down the bottom of the hole). Rhubarb
is a very greedy feeder and will be in situ for many years, so a big
start ensures prolific stems for years to come.

Janet




Sounds like a home landfill site.:-)
Spider has already planted his rhubard, but for future referance how deep
to put things like roadkill?
Thinking of hygene and the thought of eating produce that has fed on
possibly a diseased carcass.
Makes sense on our soil as it is light and dries out quickly so anything
which will help to retain moisture such as wool and leather is something to
consider.

Baz

On 30/10/2010 09:00, Baz wrote:
wrote in
:

I have been advised only to dress the soil with bonemeal at planting
time to encourage rooting. In spring, I will feed it on chix poo
pellets .. then stand well back :~)


I am sure next year you will be eating some rhubarb, and you have a good
variety.
Know what you mean about chicken pellets, but they work nicely despite the
pong.

Baz.


Yes, Baz, I know it's a good variety. My father used to get sticks 3'
long! As to the chicken poo, I don't mind the smell at all ... alas, my
neighbours don't feel the same way. Won't stop me though. Heh heh :~}

Thanks again for all your good advice.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

Spider wrote in
:

On 30/10/2010 09:00, Baz wrote:
wrote in
:

I have been advised only to dress the soil with bonemeal at planting
time to encourage rooting. In spring, I will feed it on chix poo
pellets .. then stand well back :~)


I am sure next year you will be eating some rhubarb, and you have a
good variety.
Know what you mean about chicken pellets, but they work nicely
despite the pong.

Baz.


Yes, Baz, I know it's a good variety. My father used to get sticks 3'
long! As to the chicken poo, I don't mind the smell at all ... alas,
my neighbours don't feel the same way. Won't stop me though. Heh heh
:~}

Thanks again for all your good advice.


Dont forget to give your neighbours a bit of stuff now and then, they begin
to enjoy the pong afterwards. Funny how that works dont you think?

Baz

Spider wrote:

Thanks Baz, that is hugely reassuring! It's good to know it will take a
bit of winter punishment. I went out yesterday and had to *drag* a huge
slug off R. Victoria. UGH! (Have you ever seen a flying slug? :~})

Yes, often, and usually retreating very fast in a graceful arc.

Because slugs often chomp on frost damaged plants, and this slug was in
a hollowed stem, I was convinced something was very wrong. These two
crowns are so precious that I'm going to be paranoid until they sprout
in spring.

They will. It takes a lot to kill-off a rhubarb crown, though it will
reward you if you cosset it.

You have made me feel much better, thanks, and I may even
sleep tonight.

I have been advised only to dress the soil with bonemeal at planting
time to encourage rooting. In spring, I will feed it on chix poo
pellets .. then stand well back :~)

I'd be careful - chicken litter needs about two years' composting before
it's safe for use on some plants. If it pongs, it suggests to me that it
hasn't been composted long enough. The urea in it scorches, I believe.

I would give it a mulch of well-rotted horse, cow, or pig manure and
cover it with dead leaves or something similar, and feed the slugs with
some nice tasty pellets...

If you want smelly rhubarb fertiliser, wait until it starts sprouting
and steep nettles in water. When it smells absolutely disgusting it's a
fit meal for rhubarb (and tomatoes). Use sparingly and often, and
assuming you *WILL* leave the crowns unpulled (my advice would be to
leave them to their own devices for the first year), nettle sou^h^ugh!
is a good foliar feed - diluted.

Just remember, rhubarb is a damp-ground plant, and it's difficult to
give it too much water when it's in growth. It likes humus in the soil
too, so dress it regularly with compost. leaf-mould, well-rotted muck etc.

When you come to divide the crowns, lift them and replant some of the
satellite crowns, discarding the centre - or better, use the centre(s)
to force early rhubarb in a warm humid place in the early spring, *THEN*
discard them.

--
Rusty

Spider wrote:

Yes, Baz, I know it's a good variety. My father used to get sticks 3'
long!

One stick on my first batch of crowns (around 1970) weighed a pound -
but I'd given each one four feet depth of what it likes and at least two
gallons of water on days it didn't rain, and not pulled a stick the
whole year.

You had to be careful not to get lost in the bed...

--
Rusty

Baz wrote:

Dont forget to give your neighbours a bit of stuff now and then, they begin
to enjoy the pong afterwards. Funny how that works dont you think?

That's really *VERY* good advice.

--
Rusty

Baz wrote:
Janet wrote in
:

In article , says...
I have been advised only to dress the soil with bonemeal at planting
time to encourage rooting.
In spring, I will feed it on chix poo
pellets .. then stand well back :~)
Ideally one should dig a BIG, BIG planting hole ..several feet deep
and wide.. and load it up with as much organic material as possible,
including some that will break down slowly, like bones, old wool
jumpers, hair, leather boots, roadkill, seafood shells, dead fish, plus
manure (you can safely use fresh, down the bottom of the hole). Rhubarb
is a very greedy feeder and will be in situ for many years, so a big
start ensures prolific stems for years to come.

Sounds like a home landfill site.:-)

So it is - leather and woollens usually can be collected after jumble
sales for little or no cost. The butcher will usually supply bones f.o.c.

Spider has already planted his rhubard, but for future referance how deep
to put things like roadkill?

My guru recommended a four-foot deep pit, at least two feet by two. ones
and roadkill start the process, and smaller bones and stuff can be added
as the pit id filled.

The area should have a distinct alp over it, and the crown planted at
the summit. The compost, manure and other organic matter will decay over
time, and he alp will disappear.

Thinking of hygene and the thought of eating produce that has fed on
possibly a diseased carcass.
Makes sense on our soil as it is light and dries out quickly so anything
which will help to retain moisture such as wool and leather is something to
consider.

The wool and leather releases phosphates an nitrogen over a long period.
Any humus you put into the soil will be appreciated, and nicely mixed by
the worm population, but on light sandy soil the crown really needs
frequent mulching with stuff which will augment the humus level.

And don't forget the water..

--
Rusty

On 30 Oct, 18:46, Rusty Hinge
wrote:
Baz wrote:
Dont forget to give your neighbours a bit of stuff now and then, they begin
to enjoy the pong afterwards. Funny how that works dont you think?

That's really *VERY* good advice.

--
Rusty

Years ago, where we were living we had rhubarb growing outside the
bathroom in an angle with another wall, it was north facing and had
all the lawn mowings spread around every cut, and every time we had a
bath the water would overflow and flood the plants.
I remember one time pulling a stick which was enough to make a rhubarb
crumble for 4 of us.
David

On 30/10/2010 16:23, Baz wrote:
wrote in
:

On 30/10/2010 09:00, Baz wrote:
wrote in
:

I have been advised only to dress the soil with bonemeal at planting
time to encourage rooting. In spring, I will feed it on chix poo
pellets .. then stand well back :~)


I am sure next year you will be eating some rhubarb, and you have a
good variety.
Know what you mean about chicken pellets, but they work nicely
despite the pong.

Baz.


Yes, Baz, I know it's a good variety. My father used to get sticks 3'
long! As to the chicken poo, I don't mind the smell at all ... alas,
my neighbours don't feel the same way. Won't stop me though. Heh heh
:~}

Thanks again for all your good advice.


Dont forget to give your neighbours a bit of stuff now and then, they begin
to enjoy the pong afterwards. Funny how that works dont you think?

Baz


:~) Indeed! It always seem to. You may be on to a winner there.
--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

On 30/10/2010 18:56, Rusty Hinge wrote:
Baz wrote:
Janet wrote in
:

In article , says...
I have been advised only to dress the soil with bonemeal at planting
time to encourage rooting.
In spring, I will feed it on chix poo pellets .. then stand well
back :~)
Ideally one should dig a BIG, BIG planting hole ..several feet deep
and wide.. and load it up with as much organic material as possible,
including some that will break down slowly, like bones, old wool
jumpers, hair, leather boots, roadkill, seafood shells, dead fish,
plus manure (you can safely use fresh, down the bottom of the hole).
Rhubarb is a very greedy feeder and will be in situ for many years,
so a big start ensures prolific stems for years to come.

Sounds like a home landfill site.:-)

So it is - leather and woollens usually can be collected after jumble
sales for little or no cost. The butcher will usually supply bones f.o.c.

Spider has already planted his rhubard, but for future referance how
deep to put things like roadkill?

My guru recommended a four-foot deep pit, at least two feet by two. ones
and roadkill start the process, and smaller bones and stuff can be added
as the pit id filled.

The area should have a distinct alp over it, and the crown planted at
the summit. The compost, manure and other organic matter will decay over
time, and he alp will disappear.

Thinking of hygene and the thought of eating produce that has fed on
possibly a diseased carcass.
Makes sense on our soil as it is light and dries out quickly so
anything which will help to retain moisture such as wool and leather
is something to consider.

The wool and leather releases phosphates an nitrogen over a long period.
Any humus you put into the soil will be appreciated, and nicely mixed by
the worm population, but on light sandy soil the crown really needs
frequent mulching with stuff which will augment the humus level.

And don't forget the water..



My two crowns are planted fairly close to my compost bins, so they
should get a fair bit of humus from that. My guru (secretary of an
allotment society) said only to plant with bonemeal because of the
winter weather approaching, but to *really* feed it up in spring, which
is what I shall do. I'm on heavy London clay and the crowns came from
Yorkshire (birthplace of rhubarb:~)) clay, so they should be feeling at
home.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

On 30/10/2010 18:39, Rusty Hinge wrote:
Spider wrote:

Thanks Baz, that is hugely reassuring! It's good to know it will take
a bit of winter punishment. I went out yesterday and had to *drag* a
huge slug off R. Victoria. UGH! (Have you ever seen a flying slug? :~})

Yes, often, and usually retreating very fast in a graceful arc.

:~)) They make pigs look quite clumsy.


Because slugs often chomp on frost damaged plants, and this slug was
in a hollowed stem, I was convinced something was very wrong. These
two crowns are so precious that I'm going to be paranoid until they
sprout in spring.

They will. It takes a lot to kill-off a rhubarb crown, though it will
reward you if you cosset it.

Most reassuring, but it will undoubtedly be cossetted due to its provenence.


You have made me feel much better, thanks, and I may even sleep tonight.

I have been advised only to dress the soil with bonemeal at planting
time to encourage rooting. In spring, I will feed it on chix poo
pellets .. then stand well back :~)

I'd be careful - chicken litter needs about two years' composting before
it's safe for use on some plants. If it pongs, it suggests to me that it
hasn't been composted long enough. The urea in it scorches, I believe.

The chicken poo I'll be using is the commercial pelleted sort which, I
believe, is fairly slow release. That is to say, it shouldn't burn the
plants.

I would give it a mulch of well-rotted horse, cow, or pig manure and
cover it with dead leaves or something similar, and feed the slugs with
some nice tasty pellets...

I'd rather feed the slugs on tarmac and hot tyres.


If you want smelly rhubarb fertiliser, wait until it starts sprouting
and steep nettles in water. When it smells absolutely disgusting it's a
fit meal for rhubarb (and tomatoes). Use sparingly and often, and
assuming you *WILL* leave the crowns unpulled (my advice would be to
leave them to their own devices for the first year), nettle sou^h^ugh!
is a good foliar feed - diluted.

I intend to refrain from pulling stems the first year. Should I let the
stems die back in their own way, or cut them back at the end of the
season? Also, do I pull or cut out any flower stems, please?

Just remember, rhubarb is a damp-ground plant, and it's difficult to
give it too much water when it's in growth. It likes humus in the soil
too, so dress it regularly with compost. leaf-mould, well-rotted muck etc.

It will have plenty of humus, being next to my compost heaps, but it
will be watered religiously during the growing season.

When you come to divide the crowns, lift them and replant some of the
satellite crowns, discarding the centre - or better, use the centre(s)
to force early rhubarb in a warm humid place in the early spring, *THEN*
discard them.


Sounds like good advice. Thanks.

I lost a previous crown of rhubarb to Honey Fungus. I never saw the
toadstools, but the dead crown and the earth reeked strongly of
mushrooms. Since rhubarb is prone to HF, I assumed the worst. I hope
the same doesn't happen to my new crowns. They are not planted near the
original site, so fingers crossed.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay