Rhubarb for flavour

[w33blegurl]

Morning all!

Can't sleep so instead pondering new rhubarb plants. I have a couple on the lottie which were sold as timperley early but I am 100% sure they are not. What they are though is mainly tough and stringy (OK if forced tho) and they don't really have a great taste either. I want to replace them with something really tasty, ideally lovely pink/red stems (these are much more green) and as little stringiness as possible! Just wondered what varieties you'd all recommend, particularly on the flavour front. I've been eyeing up that Livingstone variety which has a longer cropping season and wondered if that was any good? I've got room for two plants so would happy put in two different varieties!
Cheers!

[ameno]

I have Livingstone and it's good, but still a tad on the sour side. I'd definitely recommend it for it's autumn cropping, but its taste is simply average (it's not stringy, though). Plus, you want a separate spring variety, really. Although long season varieties like Livingstone will crop in spring and autumn, if you crop it in both you will exhaust the plant. So it's better not to pick any from it in the spring in order to allow it to build up its energy reserves for autumn picking.

I have a variety of rhubarb I've been growing for years which I would definitely recommend, but sadly I don't remember its name. It has deep red stalks (blood red near the base), an excellent flavour, and quite low acid for rhubarb (low enough that you can eat it raw without screwing your face up, although it tastes rather vegetable-y without added sugar). The only downside is that it's quite a late variety. Doesn't even start growing until late March, and you don't get anything to pick until the beginning of May, usually. Quite different from the early variety I have at the allotment, which starts into life in early February.

[MelanieSW]

I always wanted Fulton's Strawberry Surprise, both name and description sound lovely.

It was part of the selection of rhubarb crowns I bought for the allotment a few years ago, but sadly didn't grow (the grown I received didn't look well).

[B Porcupine]

I would love a proper taste test of current / heritage rhubarbs!

I lost my Giant Crimson Groveless (lost its groove?) somehow and spent hours debating what to get - finally went for a Raspberry Red, to go with my 2 Stockbridge Arrows (nice late producers), a Fulton's Starwberry Surprise, a Timperly Early (it really is!) and a sulking Livingstone.

Yup, no shortage of rhubarb, lol. The Starwberry Surpise is my fav at this time; I have to wait for the Raspberry Red to grow a few years to compare.

[w33blegurl]

Thanks all. I think I might give the Livingstone a miss then, but am definitely going to give the Strawberry Surprise a go!