In its first year it is toxic. I think acids which normally accumulate in the leaves are also in the stems till it settles down.At least that is what I was told.
Sorry but you were told wrong AWB - the reason for not harvesting in the first year is to allow the crown to build up, otherwise it'll never develop into a good strong plant and be really productive.
Whoever fed you that bit of mis-information, you'd better explain to them that although the leaves contain oxalic acid it is not in the stems, not even in the first year.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thank's Dovefromabove, I thought that's what they meant, was thinking of moving it to a bigger area of the garden, would be okay to move it just now, as it has started to grow?
I wouldn't choose to move it now, but if it's going to need more space then prepare the bed well with lots of organic matter and take it with a large rootball. Water it in well.
I'd prefer to leave it until it dies down in the autumn before moving it, but then you'd have to leave it another year before harvesting.
If it's been moved twice this season only pick very lightly next year.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
We have a grand-daughter who loves to have a ramekin of sugar and eat a stick of Rhubarb dipping it in the sugar before each bite. I had planted a new 'Champagne Rhubarb' that I bought in North Wales in 2010. It had 2 healthy stems when I planted it but a few days later (After a visit from said GD) they had both disappeared!.
It has taken until this year for the plant to fully recover but now it's romping away. Have planted another new 'Champagne Rhubarb' this year and noted fairly soon afterwards that the leaves were being eaten (like Shar2's comment above). A close inspection revealed tiny snails as the culprits - which are now ex-snails!
As was stated onanother rhubarb thread the greates threat to rhubarb is over picking. JH you are lucky that one came back at all. Snails are also a problem as the leaves touch the ground. Nothing for it but pellets spread around and about your crowns, but not over them. i have placed beer traps for the said same critters among my cabbages. Seems they like a tipple or two.
Nothing for it but pellets spread around and about your crowns,
I have to disagree there nothing is worth poisoning wildlife. Nothing. I don't want to spend my days killing everything that moves in my garden. I respect myself and the wildlife far too much for that. No wonder our birds and hedgehogs are one their way to extinction. For what? A bit of home grow produce! My dad NEVER but slug pellets on his garden and the rhubarb always seemed to be fine. I have never noticed any serious damage of the leaves that you don't eat anyway. The only thing I would say is if you're forcing pick off any slugs because they might cause a leaf to rot but I'd rather lose a leaf than kill a bird because it ate a poisoned slug. By the way, I wouldn't dream of even killing a slug I'd picked off. That isn't my call.
I'm also reminded of one day sitting down to dinner at my MIL's house, their neighbour had given them some salad, she gave it a quick wash and put it on our plates. Eye soon spied some blue pellets that shouldn't be there. The whole meal went in the bin along with all the salad and any future salad they ever gave us. No thanks!!!! Who knows what else they sprayed or put on?
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Without a picture it's hard to know but probably slugs.
In its first year it is toxic. I think acids which normally accumulate in the leaves are also in the stems till it settles down.At least that is what I was told.
Have just double checked, it is oxalic acid, and it is that which makes the leaves unhealthy.
Sorry but you were told wrong AWB - the reason for not harvesting in the first year is to allow the crown to build up, otherwise it'll never develop into a good strong plant and be really productive.
Whoever fed you that bit of mis-information, you'd better explain to them that although the leaves contain oxalic acid it is not in the stems, not even in the first year.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Oh, yes, I remember your photo now. Very envious.
Thank's Dovefromabove, I thought that's what they meant, was thinking of moving it to a bigger area of the garden, would be okay to move it just now, as it has started to grow?
I wouldn't choose to move it now, but if it's going to need more space then prepare the bed well with lots of organic matter and take it with a large rootball. Water it in well.
I'd prefer to leave it until it dies down in the autumn before moving it, but then you'd have to leave it another year before harvesting.
If it's been moved twice this season only pick very lightly next year.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
We have a grand-daughter who loves to have a ramekin of sugar and eat a stick of Rhubarb dipping it in the sugar before each bite. I had planted a new 'Champagne Rhubarb' that I bought in North Wales in 2010. It had 2 healthy stems when I planted it but a few days later (After a visit from said GD) they had both disappeared!
.
It has taken until this year for the plant to fully recover but now it's romping away. Have planted another new 'Champagne Rhubarb' this year and noted fairly soon afterwards that the leaves were being eaten (like Shar2's comment above). A close inspection revealed tiny snails as the culprits - which are now ex-snails!
As was stated onanother rhubarb thread the greates threat to rhubarb is over picking. JH you are lucky that one came back at all. Snails are also a problem as the leaves touch the ground. Nothing for it but pellets spread around and about your crowns, but not over them. i have placed beer traps for the said same critters among my cabbages. Seems they like a tipple or two.
I have to disagree there nothing is worth poisoning wildlife. Nothing. I don't want to spend my days killing everything that moves in my garden. I respect myself and the wildlife far too much for that. No wonder our birds and hedgehogs are one their way to extinction. For what? A bit of home grow produce! My dad NEVER but slug pellets on his garden and the rhubarb always seemed to be fine. I have never noticed any serious damage of the leaves that you don't eat anyway. The only thing I would say is if you're forcing pick off any slugs because they might cause a leaf to rot but I'd rather lose a leaf than kill a bird because it ate a poisoned slug. By the way, I wouldn't dream of even killing a slug I'd picked off. That isn't my call.
I'm also reminded of one day sitting down to dinner at my MIL's house, their neighbour had given them some salad, she gave it a quick wash and put it on our plates. Eye soon spied some blue pellets that shouldn't be there. The whole meal went in the bin along with all the salad and any future salad they ever gave us. No thanks!!!! Who knows what else they sprayed or put on?