Another rhubarb question

sparrer

Another rhubarb question, sorry I can't find the answer I'm looking for in the posts.

I bought my first ever rhubarb, a Timperly Early and a Victoria yesterday, and have put them both in an unheated bedroom (no greenhouse) until the snow goes. They both say plant in Feb/March but I can't see that happening now.

When I am able to plant them they're going into large containers outside. I'm wondering if, as they're young plants, I should protect them with fleece, straw or similar until the frosts have gone.

Would be grateful for advice from anyone who has bought rhubarb in a pot before. Tia

Leif

Rhubarb is very hardy. I recently planted 3 Timperley Early, and the leaves and stems suffered wind damage. I suspected the plants had been raised in a sheltered environment and not hardened, and various people here confirmed that. I'd plant them out, and let them harden. Don't worry about damage.

Rhubarb has huge roots spreading 4 feet, and going down much further than that, so it you can plant them out, all the better.

A._Badger

sparrer wrote: »

Another rhubarb question, sorry I can't find the answer I'm looking for in the posts.

I bought my first ever rhubarb, a Timperly Early and a Victoria yesterday, and have put them both in an unheated bedroom (no greenhouse) until the snow goes. They both say plant in Feb/March but I can't see that happening now.

When I am able to plant them they're going into large containers outside. I'm wondering if, as they're young plants, I should protect them with fleece, straw or similar until the frosts have gone.

Would be grateful for advice from anyone who has bought rhubarb in a pot before. Tia

Rhubarb hails from Siberia. It laughs at frost. Plant it out - it doesn't belong in a bedroom, heated or not (though a cold frame might be useful for a few days if it's actually snowing).

Attempts at the container growing of rhubarb are a relatively recent development - traditionally it was thought its deep roots wouldn't respond well to it. The traditionalists were almost certainly right, but if you are going to try it do not use soiless compost - use a good John Innes No 3 ( personally, I recommend Westland's - its not bad) and a container of real size - one of those Haxnicks potato growing bags would be about right.

You really must keep it well watered and fed if you are going to make a success of growing it in a bag or pot. Good luck!

splodger_seedswapper

rhubarb is tough stuff - plant it out when you can - don't leave it indoors

good luck with growing in a pot - it's possible as anything will grow in a pot (if the pot is big enough) but it's not ideal for r.barb - especially if you want good harvests from it for years to come

sparrer

Thank you for all your reples. I'd wanted to plant the crowns today but we've got 3" snow and I don't do snow! Have put the pots under the garden table for now - no cold frame unfortunately.

I have some potato bags left from my potato experimenting period (very successful but nowhere to put the used soil) so will use those. I was going to buy big tubs but the bags make economical sense.

I bought two crowns so I would have a reasonable harvest. As long as it gives me some crumbles and some for the freezer I'll be happy.

As you can tell I'm no great shakes as a gardener but do love being out there and seeing what I can grow. If the rhubarb survives I'll be more than happy

tim_n

Generally the advice has been to lift the crowns in the winter and leave them above ground. Never done it myself but it's supposed to be good for them.

I tend to revitalise mine by slicing it up with a spade every so often and back filling the area with plenty of fresh manure.

valk_scot

Remember you shouldn't harvest any of it this year, not even a stick. It needs all of itself to establish strongly in the first year it's planted out. You may not think a few sneaky sticks here or there will hurt but they will, it might take two years of poor growth to establish, or may even fail to establish. Best way is to keep your hands off it this year.

And it does do far better in open ground. I had the misfortune to have to dig out a fairly modest looking rhubarb pland a few years ago. I stopped digging at three feet down and left the rest of it. Patio went on top, then a shed. Twelve years later I'm still convinced if I lift the patio the rhubarb will be back up inside a season.

sparrer

Thank you for the further suggestions.
tim_n I wouldn't have thought so but would lifting it apply when growing in tubs? Slicing it up with a spade sounds drastic!

val I have no ground to plant in, with the exception of an espalier apple tree all my growing is done in containers. I know it can't be harvested during the first year, am quite happy to wait til the right time

foxgloves

I cover our rhubarb about Jan, to force some of the nice pink stems early when there's not much else growing. As we've had a lot of snow, I felt happy that the rhubarb was under the forcing pot getting a bit of shelter, but since then, part of the crown has sprouted away from the forcing pot & is just growing llike normal maincrop rhubarb....so now I have both! It hasn't been at all bothered by the snow & icey temperatures. As soon as the ground is thawed, I'd get your crowns in & let them go for it. It's pretty hardy stuff.

tim_n

sparrer wrote: »

Thank you for the further suggestions.
tim_n I wouldn't have thought so but would lifting it apply when growing in tubs? Slicing it up with a spade sounds drastic!

only when the crown is a couple of years old. Yes very drastic, it's like slicing an alien up. It's very yellow and smells very much of rhubarb

Also: http://www.rhubarbinfo.com/

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Mine has been sitting under various depths of snow on and off since I stuck it in a tub on the one sunny day we've had since last April.


It's growing fine.

Actually, I suspect that you could make bomb shelters out of the stuff