Rhubarb seedlings

twopenny

Not sure Krakkers needs to see more rhubarb   

Yes you do what you would never normally do with a plant and cover it so the stems grow to get the leaves to the light and they are pale and tender. 
Don't think you need to worry about that for a few years. Only do it on a well grown plant

Katiehound

sadly too late for the rhubarb triangle tours (until March) & the Wakefield rhubarb Festival (mid Feb)
save the date for next year!

Krakkkers

Ok some of my seedlings are wilting/dying so whats wrong.
They have been in my conservatory for a few weeks now but its now very hot in there maybe 90c plus.
Is that the problem? or am i over/under watering?

Nobbie1967

Krakkkers said:

Ok some of my seedlings are wilting/dying so whats wrong.
They have been in my conservatory for a few weeks now but its now very hot in there maybe 90c plus.
Is that the problem? or am i over/under watering?

They should definitely be outside by now. You should let the compost almost dry out between watering.

Krakkkers

I meant 90f of course. I put a thermometer in there and it was actually 100f.
I have bought them into the kitchen, they are still only about 2 inches high are they ok to be planted out?

RAS

Rhubarb grows very happily well within the  Arctic circle, even with Atlantic gales. Your seedlings need to be cool and moist, not wet. 

So find a north facing spot, soak the pots of the good plants 'til the bubbles stop, then put on a tray and let them drain. Don't water again until dry. The other pots need the same spot but maybe a gentler watering as they may have root damage.

This far south, rhubarb normally dies back a lot in summer and during droughts can almost disappear unless watered. The only advantage is you can get some new growth in late summer/ when the rains come. Don't automatically assume any plant that dies back is dead unless you find mush.

Krakkkers

My Rhubarb has been out in the garden for a few weeks now 6 patches in the garden (some with 2 or 3 plants in) and one plant pot with a couple of plants in.
The one in the pot is doing best but a couple in the garden are still only 2 inches high and look to be struggling, is there a plant food or something that i should be using?.
Got a few more in my conservatory that could be planted out to replace the strugglers if necessary.

ArbitraryRandom

My squash has been struggling as well - I think it's been a tough summer with that long hot dry spell holding things back. 

Fish blood and bone (apparently available in ASDA) is often recommended. I've picked up some Q4 fertiliser that's got some decent reviews. It's pellets that you can dig into the soil before planting plus also scatter on the surface every couple of months in the summer.

Not sure if it's the ferts or the change in the weather, but my squash went from 2 to 6 leaves seemingly overnight. 

Krakkkers

Well i thought it was slugs eating my Rhubarb but tonight i saw 2 Pigeons eating it, is this normal?

twopenny

I wouldn't have thought it would do them any good. The leaves contain oxyalic acid which is poisonous to humans. But perhaps they know best.
This year pigeons have been eating my fat blocks with insects in. That's wrong too!
But they do eat brassica leaves so who knows. 

As said, they prefer the cool, like fertile ground and will happily survive in relatively dry spots.
They take a long time to grow from seed. That's why most people buy rhubarb crowns but you seem to be doing well. Cover them with some netting or a cheap or old cake netting cover to keep the pigeons off. Bits of canes or such around them so the birds can't get in.

One thing dawned, are you watering with water straight from the tap? You should at least wait 24hrs for the chlorine to dissipate.