I bought a couple of rhubarb crowns during the autumn and
planted them. They 'took' immediately and sprouted three leaves
apiece. They still appear to be growing happily.

Am I right in assuming that I'll be taking nothing from them
next year?

What protection should I give them this winter? I live in
Plymouth (bit like the South of France really)
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In article , Serendipity
writes
I bought a couple of rhubarb crowns during the autumn and
planted them. They 'took' immediately and sprouted three leaves
apiece. They still appear to be growing happily.

Am I right in assuming that I'll be taking nothing from them
next year?

What protection should I give them this winter? I live in
Plymouth (bit like the South of France really)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Rhubarb needs no protection in UK gardens unless it is being forced for
early production. If your crowns are growing strongly, you may be able
to take a small number of stems in 2004, but normally cropping should
wait until the plants are fully established - i.e in their second or
third growing year. A little patience at that stage will be well
rewarded with many years' production. Remove any seed heads which may
form or they will divert the plant's energy away from stem production.
Rhubarb responds well to plenty of moisture and nutrients, but it is
better not to overdo those in their first formative year.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

The message
from Serendipity contains these words:

I bought a couple of rhubarb crowns during the autumn and
planted them. They 'took' immediately and sprouted three leaves
apiece. They still appear to be growing happily.

Am I right in assuming that I'll be taking nothing from them
next year?

Quite correct. Assuming you mean to establish it rather than replace it
yearly.

My advice is not to pull even one stick. That was the advice I adhered
to when I planted a jungle of it, and one of my friends was a bit
unchuffed when I wouldn't let him have even one stick from each.

The next year he was over the moon at the abundance of it - we had
rhubarb coming out of our ears. Metaphorically. One stick weighed just
under a pound.

--
Rusty Hinge http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm

Dark thoughts about the Wumpus concerto played with piano,
iron bar and two sledge hammers. (Wumpus, 15/11/03)

In message , Jaques d'Alltrades
writes
The message
from Serendipity contains these words:

I bought a couple of rhubarb crowns during the autumn and
planted them. They 'took' immediately and sprouted three leaves
apiece. They still appear to be growing happily.

Am I right in assuming that I'll be taking nothing from them
next year?

Quite correct. Assuming you mean to establish it rather than replace it
yearly.

My advice is not to pull even one stick. That was the advice I adhered
to when I planted a jungle of it, and one of my friends was a bit
unchuffed when I wouldn't let him have even one stick from each.

The next year he was over the moon at the abundance of it - we had
rhubarb coming out of our ears. Metaphorically. One stick weighed just
under a pound.

My experience is that rhubarb is as virulent as convolvulus with the
exception that rhubarb is not poisonous (But nevertheless strictly avoid
consumption of the leaves) and also rhubarb plants don't go up the
fence in size (:^)
The first year is a bit dicey, - it hasn't got going yet, but perhaps
one light picking in the first year for say one pie should not set it
back, but of course it all depends on when it was planted and how it has
got going . I live west of the Lake District. I avoid using the
matured thick fibrous stems. Don't like them.
When the root gets going and is fed moderately it usually goes a bit
daft in its copious growth and you have more sticks than you can cope
with.
Young tender rhubarb pie with a dollop of thick cream. -- Yum-yum!.
Doug.

Xref: kermit uk.rec.gardening:180594

The message
from "doug." contains these words:

I avoid using the
matured thick fibrous stems. Don't like them.

Who does? Though they make rather good scouring-pads for internal application.

When the root gets going and is fed moderately it usually goes a bit
daft in its copious growth and you have more sticks than you can cope
with.

I had fourteen goats and several hundred rabbits, a shedfull of quail
and a bullock, and I wouldn't have been surprised to have met a
heffalump while fighting my way through the rhubarb they nourished.

Young tender rhubarb pie with a dollop of thick cream. -- Yum-yum!.

Ho yus. Fresh goats' cream goes well with ickle pink fingers of stewedbarb.

The leaves, boiled up, make a fine aphid-killing spray.

--
Rusty Hinge http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm

Dark thoughts about the Wumpus concerto played with piano,
iron bar and two sledge hammers. (Wumpus, 15/11/03)

"doug." wrote in message
...
In message , Jaques d'Alltrades


My experience is that rhubarb is as virulent as convolvulus with the
exception that rhubarb is not poisonous

Virulent -- poisonous. OED

[snip]

Franz

In message , Franz Heymann
writes

"doug." wrote in message
...
In message , Jaques d'Alltrades


My experience is that rhubarb is as virulent as convolvulus with the
exception that rhubarb is not poisonous

Virulent -- poisonous. OED
[snip]
Franz
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Quite!. Don't tether your goats on the grass verge where virulent
convolvulus creeper has clothed the hawthorn hedges otherwise you will
forfeit your rhubarb pie the next day, Your goats as well.
You could, of course have goat meat pie but I wouldn't advise it, - so
you'd have to dig a big hole instead.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
--
Doug.

The message
from "doug." contains these words:

Virulent -- poisonous. OED
[snip]
Franz
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Quite!. Don't tether your goats on the grass verge where virulent
convolvulus creeper has clothed the hawthorn hedges otherwise you will
forfeit your rhubarb pie the next day, Your goats as well.
You could, of course have goat meat pie but I wouldn't advise it, - so
you'd have to dig a big hole instead.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

They seem to avoid convolvulus - mine never succumbed to it, anyway.

A goat or donkey (allegedly) makes a fine foundation for a grape vine.

--
Rusty Hinge http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm

Dark thoughts about the Wumpus concerto played with piano,
iron bar and two sledge hammers. (Wumpus, 15/11/03)