Rhubarb question

FionnG · Posted: Mon May 23, 2016 5:06 pm Post subject: Rhubarb question

Hi all
I have a question about a rhubarb plant
That I planted last year
I picked nothing off it last year.
Now this year most of the stalks are long about 10 inches
But skinny like a twig
There is about 20 of these
Anyone know what that problem is?
Thanks
Fionn.

Ado 2 · Posted: Mon May 23, 2016 9:21 pm Post subject:

Write Rhubarb in the search engine above and see other posts about it here

Blowin · Posted: Tue May 24, 2016 5:00 am Post subject:

To speed up your research, I'd say yours are short of food. You should crop sparingly in Year 2 anyway but, once the foliage has died down this year, I'd pile as much manure or compost on top as you can find. This will build it up over the winter and SHOULD give you a worthwhile crop in 2017.

FionnG · Posted: Tue May 24, 2016 6:40 pm Post subject:

Ok thanks blowin
I have plenty manure
From my poultry ( I breed and show as a hobby)
And cow manure
Which would be better?😄

Blowin · Posted: Wed May 25, 2016 4:34 am Post subject:

If it was me, I'd put both on - but some of our more knowledgeable colleagues may think differently. Poultry manure is renowned for being rich so maybe it would be sensible to use more cow, but the leaves will have died down by early September, if not earlier, so whatever you put on will have a good six months of winter weather to neutralise any harmful effects. Don't forget, the nutrition it all contains will only reach the rhubarb roots by either being washed down by rain (and thus diluted) or processed by worms etc. and taken down that way. As always, nature has its methods?

FionnG · Posted: Wed May 25, 2016 4:41 pm Post subject:

Ok thanks blowin
I will do that in September
Fionn.

Sue Deacon · Posted: Wed May 25, 2016 8:41 pm Post subject:

Two years is early days for rhubarb. I have rhubarb that's 40 years old! Some years back I dug up the best of it and moved it to a new bed. It took a couple of years to get going again. Agree about the manure, I use donkey poo, but it does have to be well rotted.

The young plants I put in my friends new garden have taken three years to establish. They were very weedy for a while, but have cropped well this year.

FionnG · Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 4:59 pm Post subject:

Ok thanks sue
I have donkey and horse poo too
Would that be the best to use?
Thanks
Fionn.

Sue Deacon · Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 7:14 pm Post subject:

It would be my preference, but everyone's different.

This post has got me thinking. I am going to make a rhubarb and ginger crumble tomorrow, Yummy!

FionnG · Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 8:22 pm Post subject:

Ok thank you
Lucky lol
Any chance you could send me some in the mail Very Happy

Sue Deacon · Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 9:06 pm Post subject:

With or without custard? Laughing

FionnG · Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 9:54 pm Post subject:

Half and half Very Happy