GardenBanter.co.uk - Rhubarb under-performing

"Rod (@The Garden)" wrote in message
...
My pal Frank has a problem with his rhubarb. For over 10 years they have
been performing well but now the stalks only grow between 3 to 8 inches
tall
and about a quarter of an inch thick. Any advice welcome.

Thanks
Rod

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Something tells me that 10 years is a long time to keep individual rhubarb
plants. (Perhaps that may stimulate discussion for the benefit of the
symposium.) I have two roots; about six years old. Last year they did
poorly, but this year we have had one good picking and at present they are
back and ready once more.
I have seen neglected rhubarb in large quantities in abandoned allotments
and they had thick coarse stalks, - but of course that is because they had
been left longer than their picking time for years which should be when they
are quite young (per year, not in lifetime, I mean). But it's just a thought
for consideration.
Ask around and find the name of those that have the reputation of being
quite sweet, I say this because I was given a root once and its stalks
were a delight to taste right from the word go, - both raw and cooked.
Has anyone else had that experience with rhubarb?, I wonder.
My Dad used to use coddy-muck and my brother and I used to go
"coddy-muckin'"with a hand shovel and a sugar box from the Co-op (on pram
wheels,) every saturday morning.
When we passed the street, - and ran the gauntlet - where our schoolmates
were 'playing out' the usual jeering, "We have custard on ours" always rang
out loud and clear!,- but we gave as good as we got!.
The word 'Coddy' is a corruption of 'Cuddy' which was an affectionate name
for the Clydesdale drayhorse nags which delivered the L,M,S Railway Goods
Station freight. It's a northern word which in truth actually means a
donkey, or a stupid person. (I thought you might like to know that, - since
find I can't properly answer the original question). (:^)
Doug.