Rhubarb problem

[Farmer_Gyles]

the rhubarb doesn't look too good ...

had really good rhubarb bed when i moved here 14 years ago - garden got neglected then had garden clearance company clear everything

tried planting rhubarb crowns on the old rhubarb bed several times since then and not much luck

5 crowns planted this year, 2 still surviving, but not doing too well

photo shows one of them against my size 10 feet - still very small - the yellow leaf is about the 5th one to go yellow like that - but there is another small leaf growing up the middle

any ideas what's going on? why the crowns won't take? why i keep getting yellow leaves and dead stalks? why the survivors are still so small?
should i try forcing now?
the leaves on the other one are being eaten big time - is that slugs and snails or is there something else that enjoys rhubarb leaves?

next door has massive rhubarb ..... i'm jealous .... i love rhubarb ....

[littlemark]

Why have you got plastic sheeting over the crown Farmer Gyles. The only time I've ever lost a Rhubarb crown was when I planted it in a damp/shaded part of the garden, and the crown rotted. Perhaps the sheeting is causing the crowns to rot.

Mark

[SueA]

Hi Farmer Gyles. I think it's possible that you've just been unlucky & as 'Littlemark' says the crowns have rotted off especially if they were under the sheeting. You'd be better mulching around them with some well-rotted manure & straw (not touching the crown/stems though). The plants are probably just small because they are very young & they will get a lot bigger next year (you shouldn't pick any in the first year & only a small crop in the second). The yellowing just looks like the leaf dying back naturally to me & the nibbles probably are slugs & snails, if you look under the black sheeting around the plants you'll probably find loads of the little devils hiding!

[Polly Fouracre]

You may have"rhubarb crown rot" try planting NEW crowns in a different place.

[Farmer_Gyles]

cheers for the info - have looked up rhubarb crown rot so know more about it now

the soil was very well dug over and loads of compost and manure - the whole garden drains well - and rhubarb used to thrive where i've planted it so assumed it would be ok

put the sheeting down about a month ago because the weeds were running riot over the area and i was going on holiday - not an ideal solution but no time to do anything more with it - rhubarb is doing better than it did before i put the sheeting down and this is the first leaf and stalk lost in several weeks

other info i've seen says about lifting the crown, cutting away any rotten bits and see if the remainder has any life in it - it does have life as it's still growing new stalks and leaves - worth a try? worth trying it in a large tub?

[Sue]

Farmer Gyles
I've got some rhubarb in a big tub x 50 litres - didn't get their bit of the allotment dug in time for them, they've been fine, need a lot of water and feeding but look very healthy so give it a go. I'm hoping I can get them in the ground this autumn so fingers crossed they survive their move.
Sue

[mellonmellow]

cheers for the info - have looked up rhubarb crown rot so know more about it now

the soil was very well dug over and loads of compost and manure - the whole garden drains well - and rhubarb used to thrive where i've planted it so assumed it would be ok

put the sheeting down about a month ago because the weeds were running riot over the area and i was going on holiday - not an ideal solution but no time to do anything more with it - rhubarb is doing better than it did before i put the sheeting down and this is the first leaf and stalk lost in several weeks

other info i've seen says about lifting the crown, cutting away any rotten bits and see if the remainder has any life in it - it does have life as it's still growing new stalks and leaves - worth a try? worth trying it in a large tub?

I love Google. You can find information about everything you can possibly think of. Give me one query that does not find relevant information for you.

[Farmer_Gyles]

I love Google. You can find information about everything you can possibly think of. Give me one query that does not find relevant information for you.

yep - except you've got to know what you're searching for in the first place!

i dug up the crown - it looks ok to me, firm, no soft spots, roots look ok
i've stuck it in a big tub of compost, will see what happens