Growing rhubarb in a pot - no garden.

Mojisola

marmiterulesok wrote: »

Wow,you used to grow it commercially.It is 'easy' to grow on that scale?

With lots of straw and muck available, it is an easy crop.

It also brings in cash early in the year which helps when most of your income comes in a block later on.

marmiterulesok

That's good to know.

Did you also do 'forced' rhubarb?

Mojisola

marmiterulesok wrote: »

That's good to know.

Did you also do 'forced' rhubarb?

No, just open field.

13Kent

I watered the rhubarb that was in the bag and it suddenly sprouted and grew 4 huge leaves! I planted it in a sunny corner of the garden yesterday - the corner where all the chicken poo and wood shavings seemed to have been piled up. When I ripped the green bag off it was really dry at the bottom and the was hardly any compost to see as it was all lots of tiny roots all wound round each other in the shape of the bag. I dug a big hole and plonked it in then gave it a really good water. Hope I did the right thing, will just have to wait and see.!!

woodworm001

Funnily enough this question was on gardeners question time (radio 4) yesterday, you can probably catch the answers on iplayer if you wanted to, but the 4 experts all said that Rhubarb does not do well in pots and suggested she should give the plant away to someone that has a garden.

Mojisola

woodworm001 wrote: »

but the 4 experts all said that Rhubarb does not do well in pots and suggested she should give the plant away to someone that has a garden.

I'd agree if you were trying to keep one plant going long term - rhubarb is a thirsty and hungry plant and you would need a massive pot to keep a mature plant fit and healthy.

Employing the same techniques as used to force rhubarb and constantly renewing the plant, I think you could get a small supply every year.

Gardeners grow what plants they like best. Personally, with only a small area to garden in, I'd befriend someone with a couple of rhubarb plants on their allotment and use the space on the balcony for other things.

marmiterulesok

I dug up the plant,which had one massive root and also a smaller root that broke off.It had two small leaves growing,which,by the time I replanted it,had withered,so I pulled them off.Next to the main plant is a new growth which seems to be growing rapidly.There is also a smaller growth just appearing at the surface.I planted the broken off root as well,just to see if anything appears.The plant does seem to be flourishing tbh,and new leaves are appearing.

I didn't get a second rhubarb plant in the end,but bought 3 small raspberry plants.

Mojisola

marmiterulesok wrote: »

I dug up the plant,which had one massive root and also a smaller root that broke off.It had two small leaves growing,which,by the time I replanted it,had withered,so I pulled them off.Next to the main plant is a new growth which seems to be growing rapidly.There is also a smaller growth just appearing at the surface.I planted the broken off root as well,just to see if anything appears.The plant does seem to be flourishing tbh,and new leaves are appearing.

I didn't get a second rhubarb plant in the end,but bought 3 small raspberry plants.

The small bit of root would have made the second plant!

marmiterulesok

Oh,do you think if I had a rummage around (I planted the root at the other end of the pot to the actual plant),I could recuperate it and replant it separately,or is that just silly?

Mojisola

marmiterulesok wrote: »

Oh,do you think if I had a rummage around (I planted the root at the other end of the pot to the actual plant),I could recuperate it and replant it separately,or is that just silly?

Not silly at all - rhubarb is tough!

Pot the little one up, feed and water really well all the growing season and don't harvest any stems until next Spring.