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

"Rod (@The Garden)" wrote in message
news : 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

They could be infected by virus and need replacing with fresh, healthy stock

"Rod (@The Garden)" wrote in message
news
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

*********
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.

"Rod (@The Garden)" wrote in message
news
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

*********
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.

"Rod (@The Garden)" wrote in message
news
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

*********
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.

"Rod (@The Garden)" wrote in message
news
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

*********
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.

"Rod (@The Garden)" wrote in message
news
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

*********
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.

"Rod (@The Garden)" wrote in message
news
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

*********
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.

"Rod (@The Garden)" wrote in message
news
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

*********
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.

"Rod (@The Garden)" wrote in message
news
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

*********
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.

"Rod (@The Garden)" wrote in message
news
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

*********
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.

The message
from "Rod (@The Garden)" contains these words:

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.

When they die down at the end of the year, dig a deep hole somewhere
where you'd like the next stand to be. Four feet deep by two feet square
is recommended by the pundits, but my three-foot deep effort produced
gigantic stalks. (And leaves.)

Put in old bones, soil, well-rotted manure, more bones, old woollies,
old leather, and then top-up with a mixture of soil and manure so that
you're left with a mound.

Dig up old crown and cut the new roots from the outside, and discard the
middle.

Plant only the new outside scions, one per hole, or give the remainer
away, or keep it for forcing in the spring.

On no account pull a single stick of your new crown! Not even one! (You
should have plenty anyway if you just plant the excess scions and
discard them next autumn.)

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/