Rhubarb Split/ Replant or Buy New?

[Cadalot]

I’ve wanted a bed of Rhubarb for some time and this year I took some from a neighbours plot on Spencer Road and put them in some flower buckets. The original plan was to create a bed on Spencer Road, but now I have the new plot on Mill Green and it has some Rhubarb already on it, however it has not been split or looked after or even harvested as far as I know in the last six years and you are supposed to do this every 3 to 4 years.

So do take the opportunity to dig, split & divide the rhubarb roots as they should be dormant now as its the Autumn

OR

Plant the root cuttings that have been in the flower buckets this year

OR

Would you just buy some new crowns?

Could a Mod put a poll on this posting please

[flynch]

Split it, why spend more money if you don't need too

[fishpond]

split & divide + use your potted on as a second bed.
Gives you two varieties with different taste and cropping period.
See which you like in a couple of years.
If you are short on space, 1 of each would suffice as an experiment---burn the rest--do not compost unless you drown them first.

[veggiechicken]

There is no Either/Or. Do both. Plant the cuttings but leave the old crown untouched until the new ones are established as they may not crop much this year.
I've never split a rhubarb crown to rejuvenate it. Even if that's what the books say, I wouldn't - just because I don't like interfering with a growing plant.

[Small pumpkin]

I'd dig, split the big one and plant the stuff in flower buckets.
You want a whole bed ( you didn't say how bigger bed ) and you seem to have a lot of rhubarb. Why buy more .

Didn't vote, you didn't have an option for both dig and plant

[veggiechicken]

Could a Mod put a poll on this posting please

You can start your own poll when you open a new thread. Its at the bottom of the Go Advanced options.

[Cadalot]

you didn't say how bigger bed

The previous plan was to put one of the ones in the flower bucket into the middle of a bed that is 1.2m x 1.2m so that it can grow inside the bed. I have another whole plot so I'm happy to do both I guess - But I've also seen a new variety Rhubarb Livingstone that provides Rhubarb out of the normal season and I have no idea when the other two crop and can be harvested.

[Scarlet]

I'd plant the ones up that are in buckets and see what you have next year.
I have 4plants.....there's no way we could eat it all. See what you have - I harvest from mine as soon as there are some stalks and I don't stop picking until autumn. I don't bother freezing them either as we are sick of them by September

[Baldy]

My timperly early is showing signs of new growth already. This year I cropped from Feb till September. Will have a couple of Victoria as well next year so I'll be sick of the stuff by June I'll send you my wine recipe

[Cadalot]

Thanks All

Sounds like good advice to plant what I have in buckets and split a section off the very old plant that does not appear to have produced much growth over the year but then again it was surrounded by lots of weeds.

In terms of space for a single crown or what I have in the flower Bucket is 4ft x 4ft or 1.2m x1.2m adequate, and I assume will allow space for it to spread. How many would you plant in a bed that size?

[veggiechicken]

I've just bought 3 x Poultons Pride that are supposed to crop for 10 months of the year - to add to my rhubarbery. Already have Livingstone - picked some a week or two back.