Now is the time of year, early spring to start thinking about rhubarb. Yes rhubarb some of us love it and some of us hate it. Me presently I don't like it, my mum always had some in the garden and on Sundays over the summer there would be rhubarb based dishes I always had “give it a try you might like it” nope not going to happen.
But ever since owning a garden nursery I have always grown my own from seed late spring and have I always had luck, yes of cores I have as I am not a fan of it but i can grow it with no problems.
So for any one that loves the stuff I have an abundance of it here at our nursery. With its stunning foliage and bright red stems or gold. almost something you would see dinosaurs stomping around, I wonder if they had a love hate relation ship with it.
Growing rhubarb can take a long time and buying a plant can speed the process up.
Once you plant them out in the garden you cant harvest them for another year unfortunately so growing from seed this about 3 years to growing them, it an investment in time and your garden.
So to sow it from seed, I start in late spring in to compost (what ever flavor you have in the poly palace or the green house. In to a 1 inch / 2 cm staring tray. Dip a hole with a pencil or a sharpie about half inch 1 cm deep and place the seed in and cover. that simple, easy, and water well keep the soil moist and in about 2 weeks you should see it starting to poke its head up and there you go.
Keep them watered well and once about 3 inches its time to pot them on in to a 2 L / 13 cm pot I normally keep them in over winter and feed every 2 weeks. Plant out the next spring once a nice big plant. Now you cant how ever harvest them for another year. but once established you can harvest from March – July. Stop harvesting rhubarb before summer
keep them sell feed as they are a hungry plant so though the year water and feed them and as thy die back over winter give them a good heavy mulching with compost, well rotted horse poop works wonders with them. Or a sea weed feed can work well. I also have wood chips I mulch with they feed the soil slowly over the summer and keeps the moisture in the hotter months.
If you are not shore if you are over watering or underwater stick a finger in the soil and this will indicate buy feel if you need to water more or less.
Here are some quick fire points to look back on so you don't have to read It all again :)
Planting Time: Rhubarb is usually planted in the early spring or autumn. It's best to plant it in a sunny spot with well-drained soil.
Choosing a Location: Rhubarb plants prefer a location with full sun to partial shade. Make sure the soil is rich in organic matter and well-drained. Avoid areas prone to water logging.
Planting Rhubarb Crowns: Rhubarb is usually grown from crowns rather than seeds. Plant the crowns with the buds just below the soil surface, spacing them about 90 cm (3ft) apart.
Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist, especially during dry spells. However, avoid over
watering as rhubarb doesn't like sitting in waterlogged soil.
Fertilizing: Rhubarb is a heavy feeder, so it benefits from regular feeding. Apply a balanced fertilizer in spring and mulch around the plants with well-rotted compost or manure.
Weeding: Keep the area around the rhubarb plants free from weeds, as they can compete for nutrients and water.
Harvesting: Rhubarb can be harvested from late spring to early summer. Only harvest stalks from mature plants (usually after the first year of planting). Grasp the stalk near the base and pull it away from the plant with a slight twist.
Winter Care: In late autumn, after the first frost, cut back the foliage and mulch around the plants with well-rotted compost or manure to protect them during the winter months.
Division: Rhubarb plants benefit from division every few years to maintain vigor. This is usually done in early spring or autumn.
Pests and Diseases: Rhubarb is generally low-maintenance, but it can be susceptible to pests like aphids and diseases like crown rot. Keep an eye out for any signs of pests or diseases and take appropriate action if needed.