Cost of Rhubarb - staggering

[reetnproper]

As my Rhubarb plant was getting seriously out of control and I really fancied Rhubarb Crumble and custard for after tea, I decided to go pull some sticks - my first harvest of the year .

I keep a spreadsheet of garden expenditure and the value of the veg etc that I grow, so that we can see exactly where things are (last year I made a £6 profit ) and how much it would have cost us to actually buy the produce.

Anyway, so I trimmed and then weighed my haul (19 oz or 540g depending on your point of view) and then went on-line to Tesco for the price per kilo before updating the spreadsheet.

Last year the price per kilo was £3.75!!!!!

THIS year at Tesco (and I've double checked this with Asda on-line who are actually 45p/kg dearer) rhubarb is a staggering (you aren't going to believe this) £6.23/kg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Regards
A shell shocked Reet
xx

[weekendwellies]

Not a phrase I use often, (even though it is a traditional Scouse one), but I am gob-smacked. Why is it so expensive, it is so easy to grow. It takes up a fair bit of space, but it looks after itself and isn't prone to being eaten by slugs or other problems that I have come across.
Perhaps we import it, and with the air travel situation.... but it keeps quite well once harvested... so I really don't see the problem.

Note to self.. plant lots more rhubarb and start selling it at local farmers market.

[piskieinboots]

Whilst transferring 'stuff' to my new lottie I noticed a rhubarb patch in amongst the weeds, I made a R&G crumble with vanilla ice cream and clotted cream

Oh yes, and there was some PSB in amongst the growth, I say 'was' cos we've eaten it now

[AYBABTU]

the reason for price is simple you buying forced rhubarb stalks.
It is still bit early for outside grown rhubarb.

[Jeanied]

Oh, I'm not so sure about that, Aybabtu (and welcome to the vine by the way!) - it depends what area of the country you are in. Mine has been in full swing for a couple of weeks now!

I was astonished to find that the haul I picked yesterday was worth about £5 in the supermarket!

[Buleste]

Now I know how much the supermarkets are charging I'm glad mine have started to come through (a while to go before harvesting though). Hopefully It'll be a better harvest than last year (flowering rhubarb and possibly some tainted manure gave a pretty poor harvest).

[Suky]

At Sainsburys we only have forced rhubarb at present and I expect the others are the same, hence the high price. We don't usually get outdoor rhubarb until mid May.

[Shadylane]

the reason for price is simple you buying forced rhubarb stalks.
It is still bit early for outside grown rhubarb.

Not here it aint. It's going nuts I tell you nuts. Just pulled a few stalks today but it's gone mental - there's loads. And I'm sure it was even earlier last year

[Suky]

Commercial growers work to a different time table As forced fruit has a premium price that will take priority and the field grown will come later in the season. This is why you and I grow our own, so we don't have to pay these prices. As you may have guessed I work for JS in customer service.

[weekendwellies]

It is still bit early for outside grown rhubarb.

I had several sticks last week in a crumble served with lashings of custard. I reckon it would have cost around £8 judging by the prices quoted above and there is no way I would fork out that much for rhubarb. And it was delish

Even the girls enjoyed it and that is saying something I can tell you!!

[binley100]

Our Rhubarb is just about ready to start pulling. Can't wait.........
OH is saying rhubarb crumble , I'm saying rhubarb schnapps .....wonder who'll win.

[Pies]

Bloke on the next plot to me has a huge plant it must be 4ft tall and 5ft maybe 6ft across it is absolutely enormous.Its a wasted plant as he never crops it.If i remember i'll take a photo tomorrow

[Mrs Jackson]

Our rhubarb crowns are still too young to take any sticks from, but I was very happy to see rhubarb at the market this weekend for £1/lb, much better than supermarket prices! Can't beat rhubarb crumble

Mrs J

[Jardiniere]

I had to transplant all mine but its come up OK - even the stuff i grew from seed is still growing - reckon i'll have some to eat at the weekend - we've had virtually no rain for over two weeks but OH waters the rhubarb every day (thats his job) and theres no rhubarb to buy here at all.........................

[binley100]

Bloke on the next plot to me has a huge plant it must be 4ft tall and 5ft maybe 6ft across it is absolutely enormous.Its a wasted plant as he never crops it.If i remember i'll take a photo tomorrow

Try dropping him a hint ...you know like

Cor blimey look at the stalks on that...what are you going to use all that for ?

and unless he's totally thickskinned he may offer you some..