Wilting rhubarb

Leif

I planted 3 Timberley Early rhubarb crowns last week. They has some stems, about 4" long, and leaves. Today many stems were broken, and many leaves damaged. I think the wind did it as it was gusting last night. Is this because the stems grew while in a sheltered garden centre, and will new growth will be tougher?

mrbadexample

Rhubarb's pretty tough. It sounds more like it's been trampled on to me. Is that a possibility? Foxes? Dogs?

It should recover, but if you still think it was the wind, can you erect a temporary wind break to give it some respite?

Leif

One leaf was all limp away from the stem, which I have seen on a chilli that suffered wind damage. The other stems were damaged at the base. I wasn't aware rhubarb was susceptible to wind damage.

We do get badgers, foxes and cats. I did not see paw prints on the soil, whereas I have seen them along the fence, they seem to follow a trail.

forgotmyname

Get a load of chippings or similar on top of it. temperatures below zero for a newly planted anything will suffer.

Should have waited a bit longer before planting. As long as the roots have not frozen it should recover but only time will tell.

Leif

According to my Geoff Hamilton book, rhubarb crowns are usually planted in Winter. My RHS book says autumn to spring for planting crowns.

A._Badger

Rhubarb hails from Siberia and is initiated into growth by exposure to sub-zero temperatures (traditionally, newly divided crowns were left out in freezing conditions before planting) Do not cover the crown with a mulch - all that will do is encourage crown rot (both fungal and bacterial)

Unless there is something wrong with it, leave it be. It will recover and probably do all the better for a tough start.

sobie

young Rhubarb plants (or just potted on crowns) sold in garden centre's at the moment have probably only just been purchased in from the nurseries where they may have been grown with a little protection such as in a tunnel.

Although we place our Rhubarb for sale outside during the day, we put in into an unheated greenhouse at night as young, newly potted Rhubarb is susceptible to a hard frost, the new leaves do tend to wilt. Long term the crown will be fine, as long as it doesn't rot.

Leif

Thanks all.

EpsomOldie

Agree with others - I'm sure it'll be fine. Just leave it alone.

When I visited my allotment a month or so ago, there were some yellowy-pink shoots just pushing up through the duvet of leaf mould I'd put on the crowns.

I very gently brushed away some of the leaf mould to have a better look and the young shoots fell off. It seems that despite being tough as old boots once the stalks have properly sprouted, the emerging shoots are more fragile.

DaftyDuck

My rhubarb is looking a bit flat from the wind.

Mind you, that's because the recent wind took most of the side of the greenhouse off, and deposited it on said rhubarb.

It was looking quite good, several leaves and a foot high per plant. Lovely Kentish coastal weather for you. That's until those winds from Siberia came straight off the sea, lifted half the beach - and half the greenhouse - onto the garden.

That's gardening for you... The upside is that, despite all that destruction, none of the greenhouse glass has broken (soft landing on rhubarb), and only one spar of wood needs replacing. Quickly, before the next gale!

{Edit: All fixed now. Replaced rotten strut, refixed glass (breaking one in the process) and got cold, cold fingers. Then, it snowed again! Rhubarb is fine, squished a little, but crowns OK. Phew!}

Leif

Sorry to hear of your woes DaftyDuck. It was very windy inland as well, quite a gust, driving in my car yesterday felt uncomfortable due to the wind, of the weather variety that is.