New to rhubarb, and think I have a problem :(

[ancee]

Hi guys. I got a rhubarb crown from a friends alllotment a while ago now. It's started to sprout and do well, but it seems like everytime a stem starts to grow, it gets to about a centimetre thick, then, flops, goes soft and goes pale and dies. This has been happening for the last few weeks now. I keep thinking it's getting better as it starts sprouting lovely new strong stems again, but then, they flop and die. Any ideas what's going wrong? It's in a side border pretty much on its own, I've given it room as I really wants loads of the stuff. It's by a fence, so quite sheltered, it gets sun but not all day. On the opposite side of the garden is a rhubarb that I got from Thompson and Morgan about two years ago. It's called strawberry sensation. This one is so small, the stems are about as long as your finger and 1/2 centimetre wide. It's a bit rubbish actually! This one even though it's rubbish is a bit floppy too. hmmmm...

[rustylady]

What is your soil like Ancee?

[horticultural_hobbit]

I have a similar problem. My soil is heavy clay. It's a baby thing, rescued from a garden cafe. Notice today a leaf that was all curled up. Had two stems get about as long as a little finger and it was goodnight Vienna. I'm going to blame the cold nights.

[Bigmallly]

If you've got any manure spare, try giving it a mulch plus plenty of water, can't remember the last time it rained. Failing that some chicken pellets may help. I think it is in need of a good feed & drink.

[solway cropper]

I have two rhubarb plants and they've both been erratic this year. They've only really perked up this last few days with the warmer weather. Like H.H. I blame the cold spring.

[veggiechicken]

I have a couple of pathetic rhubarb plants too - very floppy I suspect its because they're in an out of the way corner, and need more sun and more water/feed. They'll be moved this year as they're too spindly to be of any use.
Rhubarb does take a couple of years to get established though, some that I planted last year are not really robust enough to pull yet. If your's are young plants they may be putting their energy into roots not shoots.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I am with BM on this one rainfall has been very hit & miss since the last snow as he advise's plenty of water and a good feed.

Potty

[Bigmallly]

I've been watering about 3 times a week for the last 2 weeks & it's really healthy & ready for munching.

[marchogaeth]

Muck, water,muck,muck and muck and water. You really have to let it get established and if it tries to run to flower I'd be tempted to cut those off this year, too. Mine is in quite a darl place but it's on almost solid goat muck and I didn't touch it last year after I moved it there.

I hope that's not my stuff that's letting you down V.

[veggiechicken]

Not yours, M, they're huge already I must have brought a load of goat muck with them as they're romping away - I've eaten one stick, just to try

[Two_Sheds]

It's by a fence, so quite sheltered

Do you water it? It won't get much rain, because the fence shelters it

[ancee]

Soil is rubbish. Am trying to improve it. I have been watering it, as we've had a lot of wind and the soil is like dust some days. I have some blood fish and bone powder in the shed, would that help if I sprinkled it around and then watered it in? Failing that I have a bottle of liqiud fertisilser?

[rustylady]

Rubbish what? Clay, sand, stones, or what?

It's no good adding fertilisers to poor soil, what you need to add is organic matter and lots of it. Compost, manure, grass clippings, etc. Ideally this should have been done before you planted your rhubarb. The organic matter holds water in the soil.

When you water, how much do you give your plant?

[ancee]

The council cleared it last August. It had been a rubbish tip before. (I've got photos of it on here somewhere) They got a big digger and took everything and we were left with mud. Then with all the rain it turned it into a swamp for a while. I'd say it's really got clay, and a lot of sand. Full of stones too Each part is different within a few metres. Two of the beds I've got are just dust and sand. Then the next two are clay. Dandelions are the only thing growing and this awful thick grass stuff. Oh! And there are these little seedlings coming through. I'm going to take some photos. They have two round leaves which are patterned. They almost look like bean sprouts as they start to shoot. The third leaf is sort of shaped like ivy is. They are everywhere, but I can't figure out what has seeded everywhere as I don't know what it was that the council cleared

[ancee]

I really soak it when I water it by the way. Looks like I'm going to have to save up and buy some compost, as it's going to be a while before mine 'grows'