How on earth do you kill Rhubarb roots?

[ESBkevin]

How on earth do you kill Rhubarb roots?

We were blessed with 5 very large established crowns when we adopted the plot 3 years ago. All of which would have been too big to fit in a wheelbarrow body (I'm talking central root here). The produce was certainly abundant but we soon learned that A) we can't eat all we produce, B) We can't gift all we produce C) The space would be better utilised for something else. So last year I lifted three crowns and chopped them to size (bucket size) and replanted them. They are now producing adequate quantities so last winter I lifted the other two crowns and removed them completely. I chopped all the roots up and laid them out on the surface for the frost or sun to kill off. Well they are still sprouting (I keep giving away roots to anyone interested). I now need the space it was laid out on for my peas and would like the huge mass to be compost (seems such a waste) so what should I do to kill it. It presently resides in a 45 gallon drum with a lid on.

Over to you experts.

[Jay-ell]

Pack the roots into the drum then fill with water and weight them down with something so that they are all submerged and secure the lid. The roots will drown and decompose - it will stink but the liquid at the end can be used as a feed.

[flynch]

Would you be willing to post them?

I'd be willing to cover postage costs.

[Stan79]

Or... sell them on ebay, local Facebook sites, Freecycle, etc

[Lumpy]

People on the freebie sites would snap them up - it sounds cruel to drown them - just me being a wuss as I feel guilty about anything I have to pull up.

[Lardman]

I kill mine with tender loving care.

[Muddy_Boots]

I did manage to kill one of mine last year, bought a rhubarb forcing jar and that did it in and I didn't cover it for long.

Either that or its left home to go to another plot but there's a big hole where he was.

[vixylix]

I'd take some invincible rhubarb off your hands! I can't get it to do anything except die!

[bario1]

Mine's barely living.

[Jay-ell]

I did manage to kill one of mine last year, bought a rhubarb forcing jar and that did it in and I didn't cover it for long.

Either that or its left home to go to another plot but there's a big hole where he was.

I was about to suggest that - two buckets per root one with holes in to plant the root into and one without holes to put over the top and force it. Put the paired buckets somewhere dark like the shed/shadiest part of the plot with bricks on top of them (gaffer tape the top to the bottom if necessary)

It doesn’t have to be good compost spent compost or probably even sand as ass the energy is in the root.

The root uses up it's energy to grow, the leaves are in darkness so cant photosynthesise. Keep harvesting the stems and you end up with a sweeter forced rhubarb and an exhausted root.

[AkionTotocha]

I kill mine with tender loving care.

I did manage to kill one of mine last year, bought a rhubarb forcing jar and that did it in and I didn't cover it for long.

Either that or its left home to go to another plot but there's a big hole where he was.

I'd take some invincible rhubarb off your hands! I can't get it to do anything except die!

Mine's barely living.

I have found my people.

[Bren In Pots]

Or... sell them on ebay, local Facebook sites, Freecycle, etc

I got rid of my unwanted shrubs on Freecycle when I needed/wanted more veg growing space instead.