Gertie Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 I discovered 4 or 5 rhubarb crowns growing in my garden. It looked quite good to start with but then I noticed it has gone a bit floppy and yellowish. This might be in part due to the fact that there were weeds and flowers growing all around it. I've weeded around it, gave it a good water and a generous amount of chicken manure pellets. It's looking a little better but still not great. Should I do anything else to it, or is all lost for this year? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 as you it could be that it got swamped but rhubarb is really hardy and will grow in candle light. it could be an early variety which if it hasn't been picked will stard to go over I'd remove any stalks that are thick pull them off don't cut them then give it a week if it improves pick a few stalks of each crown but only if they have a good number on them other wise leave them be for this year but remove any flower stalks as soon as you see them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 rhubarb doesn't like to be too dry so it peobably didn't like the heat especislly if you disturbed it a bit when weeding. The recent rain and a feed will help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gertie Posted June 5, 2012 Author Share Posted June 5, 2012 Thanks. I think it was swamped with other things & very dry. Still, no need to worry about the latter (torrential rain here for the last 3 days ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jessy27 Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 You might try adding a little sweet lime to your soil, what kind of fertilizer do you use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 it's more than likly an early one which by now will start to fade as said above if it hasn't been picked will start to go yellow rhubard is a plant that dosn't need much looking after just a layer of muck or compost as a mulch in late winter just before the new shoots start to grow the pick it regually until mid Julyish then leave it be till next season all the really good clumps on any allotment site are basically the one that are neglected. I've necer know rhubard to suffer in a drought infact mine is growing in very little top soil over a very sandy soil with a lot of gravel in it which last year had now moisture in it all all from late may untill late winter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gertie Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 I use chicken poo pellets as fertiliser. Thanks sjp, It might be an early one, but after weeding around it, giving it a good water (that was when it was sunny), and fertilising it, it picked up and grew massive. In fact, I cooked my first batch last weekend and got 3 containers for the freezer...and as I don't have any space in the freezer I gave one to my colleague and 2 to my nan The remaining stalks are a bit thinner so I thought I would give them a bit longer to develop. That gives me time to find some freezer space or maybe I'll just make a big crumble!! I was alway under the impression it didn't require much attention. Maybe it wasn't fertilised in the winter, we moved in here in January and I didn't even know it was there as I had cut down some pine branches and left them on a patch of grass. When I moved them a few months later I found the rhubarb. Perhaps that didn't help it grow either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
