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Quick question about Rhubarb

PurpleRosePurpleRose Posts: 538
in Fruit & veg
Hi all

Hope that you are well.

I purchased a Rhubarb plant yesterday from B&Q off the nearly dead shelf. The crown was in a pot with two sticks of Rhubarb (and leaves).

I know that you should not pick Rhubarb in its first year. My question is, is this the first year or will the first year be classed as next year? As next summer will be the first year in its permanent home.

Many thanks 😁

Posts

  • SmudgeriiSmudgerii Posts: 185
    If it’s in a sad a state as you describe then I’d leave it be this year.  It will reward you next year.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    It depends how well it grows. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • PurpleRosePurpleRose Posts: 538
    Thanks. I will just see how it goes next year, if not I will start picking it the following year.

    I gave it a very good water as soon as we got home and a good drenching today. It did look a lot better this afternoon than it did yesterday, poor thing was bone dry when I got it off the shelf in B&Q. I will make sure it gets plenty of TLC and hopefully it will reward me with lots of rhubarb over coming years.
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    If you ever get a chance @purplerose look out for a re-run of the TV programme on the commercial rhubarb farms in the Lincs/Yorks area.  They actually dig their huge roots out at the start of the cropping season and place them in sheds to encourage shoots, the point being that they've absorbed all their nutrition over the winter and digging them up doesn't harm them.  As soon as your sad foliage dies back, I should heap any manure/compost etc. on it that you can to give it a feast between then and next spring.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    @PurpleRose 😊 
    ive found an earlier thread with what sounds like a similar rhubarb plant .., this may help https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1039803/rhubarb-transplant

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • PurpleRosePurpleRose Posts: 538
    Thank you for you help.  I have just had a read through the thread @Dovefromabove I will give it a good feed with fish, blood and bone next time I am out in the garden. I will do the same with my existing plant as i have never fed it, just water and mulch.

    I will keep an eye out for the programmes @nick615 I will check out you tube too, see if anything is on there.

    Thanks all for your help 😁
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