Rhubarb, rhubarb

[snohare]

No, not practising to be an extra in a film , just wondering - anyone here know anything about growing rhubarb from seed ? How quickly do the plants grow ( I know, how long is a piece of string...) - do I need to sow lots of seeds to get enough plants for use as insecticidal drenches the first year ?

[Earthbabe]

My neighbour's son grew some from seed. The one I have is now coming up to three years old and only just beginning to be big enough to pick. I think it's like asparagus in that you don't pick any for the first few years to allow the plant to establish. It took a year to be big enough to transplant! If you have mare's tail around you could use that instead.

However I am not an expert so maybe someone else knows different.

[multiveg]

Patience is a virtue.

Sow in seedbed in April - over the summer, thin and then move the strongest plants in autumn to a permanent bed.
One variety says can be harvested one year after sowing - that sounds a bit quick so I would only harvest very very lightly. Perhaps then 2 years from seed to harvest?

[JennieAtkinson]

Can you not beg, steal or borrow some crowns Snohare?

[snohare]

Oh believe me I've tried Jennie ! (I am an Aberdonian born and bred - the kind of man other Scots think of as grippy ) I think the problem is that I have yet to tap into the allotment culture, and the prospects of that anytime soon are remote as the allotment site I am hoping to get onto only has 5 plots, 3 currently unused and all new (sans rhubarb).
Earthbabe, heaven forfend that I should ever have mare's tail growing in my allotment...but do you know something about it that I don't ? The only uses I've ever heard of for it is as a source of silicon for glass making, and as a pot scourer in the Middle Ages !
Multiveg, which variety is it that is supposed to be so quick ? (Ta for the sowing info, I was all set to sow now to let the cold get to the seeds ! )

[JennieAtkinson]

Snohare - remind me again in spring and I will send you a bit of Shetland rhubarb!

[multiveg]

*Grabs DT Brown catalogue* Victoria

[bramble]

I sowed rhuberb last year (sowed it in Feb in seed tray on windowsill) All the seed germinated and i planted them out in early summer. They threw up plenty of leaves and did far better than i would thought for a first year. Hoping to be able to pull a few sticks next year.

[snohare]

Mmm, seed tray on windowsill... thanks bramble, I think by February I am going to be desperate to sow seed so that'll be top of my list ! How long do they take to germinate ? Do they need covering with soil etc ?
Jennie, springtime in Shetland....that's late June isn't it ?
Who is DT Brown and why does he drink so much ?

[Earthbabe]

Earthbabe, heaven forfend that I should ever have mare's tail growing in my allotment...but do you know something about it that I don't ? The only uses I've ever heard of for it is as a source of silicon for glass making, and as a pot scourer in the Middle Ages !

It is also a traditional herbal remedy for skin conditions and is starting to be used and recognised by the cosmetic industry and it's been suggested you can use it against the dreaded blight.

It's high silica content means it can be useful for hair and nail conditions too.

Still no a reason to deliberately grow it as someone I know does but it takes all sorts.

[JennieAtkinson]

June for rhubarb Snohare? It'll all be gone!
I'd need to dig you up a bit in April.

[snohare]

it's been suggested you can use it against the dreaded blight

Earthbabe, is that as a drench ? Not that I have blight at present, but like the poor, it is always with us...
Jennie, April or June, either way with my goldfish-style memory I am likely to forget...but think of some plant you might want/need and we'll maybe do a swap.

[Earthbabe]

It's used as a "foliar feed" I think three days running.