Rhubarb virgin - help please

[Newbie]

After reading GYO veg magazine all summer & recently discovering this website, I have decided to be brave & post a thread!

I attempted my first veg plot this summer after moving to a new house in April. Got the veg plot dug (or rather hubby to be & his mate did) and opted for a bung what i fancy in it & see what happens approach - relativley sucessful for a complete novice!

Anyway, I ordered my Rhubarb crowns earlier on in the summer, and they arrived today - Timperley Early & Stockbridge Arrow. However i have not yet dug a patch for them as i have been busy emptying my veg patch & getting it dug over for winter. So what should i do, will they be ok as they are for a week or so till i get their patch prepared or shall i just bung them in the ground in case they pop their clogs waiting for me to get organised? Any tips / advice will be greatfully recieved.

[Flummery]

I would be tempted to dig a shallow trench - enough to cover the roots with soil - and then get their bed ready as soon as you can. Plenty of muck is the rule with rhubarb (I KNOW you prefer custard!) but if you can't get farmyard stuff you can use your own well rotted compost from the heap. Each year it's worth topping up around them with more. We had Timperley Early when I was a kid - we weren't too far from Timperley. I now grow Stockbridge Arrow - a really tasty rhubarb which can make whacking great thick stems. Enjoy them, and welcome to the grapevine - bit of a mad-house but you'll get loads of help and advice.

[jacob marley]

They should be alright if they came bare rooted they used to in the old days leave them on top of the ground to let the frost get at them but it will not hurt to plant them now put plenty of compost or muck in the ground the rhubarb plant is a gross feeder so look after them with plenty of feed and water it will pay you back with lots of nice sticks of rhubarb hope this helps jacob

[JennieAtkinson]

I can't help you with the rhubarb question Newbie - but welcome to the Vine! I'm sure you will find many of the answers to your questions here. We are generally a very helpful and friendly lot!

[Newbie]

many thanks to you all for your replies, greatfully recieved. Our garden is 3/4 acre on a gentle-ish slope, mainly heavy clay soil (very wet at the bottom) and more-or-less a blank canvas, and as hubby to be is a less than enthusicatic gardener i'm finding it all a bit overwhelming - so expect a good few more posts from me!

[shirlthegirl43]

Hi and welcome to the vine Newbie. You won't be able to pull any rhubarb next year as you should give it a year to settle in and get established. You should get plenty the year after if you give it a good load of manure though.

[Snadger]

Hello Newbie and welcome to the vine!

Rhubarb can be forced in a greenhouse under the staging for an early crop! I think this is where the digging of clumps and leaving on the surface to get frosted emanates from. Theoretically they won't start to grow until they've had a cold spell.

The rhubarb should be dormant now, so if you just do as Flum says it should be fine!

I know you're not supposed to take any rhubarb off the first year but it would be hard not to sneak a couple of sticks off for a taste, and it shouldn't do any harm!

[rustylady]

Welcome to the Vine, Newbie. Your rhubarb should be fine as long as it doesn't dry out. Frost shouldn't kill it. If you know where you want to put it then plant it and topdress with manure or compost later. If not then either put in the ground temporarily or keep it in a cold shed until you are ready to plant.

[seasprout]

Howdy.

Hello Newbie welcome to the vine.
What are we going to call you after you have been here a while..?

Great news about your veg patch, I also grow stuff in my back garden. This year i was queen of the spuds in containers.

Dont forget to ask hubby for a greenhouse.

Recycle now - In Your Area

Visit the above site, put in your postcode and see what offers your council has on subsidiced compost bins.

All the best.

[Newbie]

Hmm, well compared to the rest of you wise owls i'll still be a clueless newbie!

The greenhouse is on the list of wants, however getting rid of the 3/4 acre of grass to a few good large flower beds is higher up on the list so it may be a while yet! However i have one of those little ones that is basically 4 shelves under plastic.

I have 2 compost bins already, one darlek and one meter square pallet type. haven't been brave enough to attempt turning them though due to potential mice!

Just been told today also that my dad has ordered me 3 apple trees as part of my christmas pressie along with the 5 echinacea (think he's got his own vision for my garden!) so expect more queries when i take delivery of those!

[Snadger]

Plant an orchard then you won't need to get rid of the grass, just mow around the trees!

[Newbie]

Ooh, how exciting! Just been down to inspect my rhubarb patch which i dug & planted the weekend before last & i have a little rhubarb bud poking through the soil - exciting! However we are in the middle of a very hard frost - are they likely to die of frost bite?

[Madasafish]

Frost bite?
Nope
As long as the crowns are under earth, frost will only kill a few buds.

Some comments:
I have found you can pull rhubarb in year 1.. but only a few stems from each plant.
Make sure where you plant is not waterlogged.
Compost well and mulch in spring.

Otherwise I ignore mine...

[piskieinboots]

your patch sounds smashing Newbie and I can so associate with the excitement of seeing something poke through the soil - gets all gardeners every time

I'm no help to you on the Rhubarb, never felt like growing it and as space is of a premium in my military patch it gets elbowed for other stuff.

I'd say my favourites to grow (in no particular order) are:
runner beans
broad beans
spring cabbage
potatoes
salad crops
and Sweetpeas

[nemo]

rhubarb

hello newbie
i am still trying to get used to the web site i am new to the grapevine like you .I bought rhubarb crowns a year ago i split some of the bigger crowns with a spade i planted all of them bar 4 these went into pots they came up in the spring like the planted crowns and died back earlier than the planted crowns.But they are still alive after giving a year in 8 inch pots . if you put hessian sacks around the crowns this will keep them moist
when you partner gets tired of digging put an electric fence around some of your garden and get 2 piglets they will turnover the ground remove all weeds like docks etc and fertilize the ground and when they are big enough they will make the best pork you have ever tasted ,