Reluctant Rhubarb

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rp2813

rp2813

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Since we're on the subject of pies here in Super with pictures and mention of rhubarb, I have a question.

 

Why am I having such difficulty growing rhubarb?  I bought a plant back in June and it has had nothing but ups and downs, and currently has suffered yet another setback, with all growth wilting and only a new sprout giving me any sign of hope.  For a plant that's for all intents and purposes a weed, it's the most temperamental thing I've ever attempted to grow.  I've had better luck with sudden-death Daphne plants over the years than with this rhubarb.

 

It appears to prefer shade.  That isn't what I expected either.  Can anyone offer pointers on cultivation?  I can't get a handle on what its water needs are either.  I've read that too much will cause rot, yet it seems letting the soil dry out even slightly at the surface causes the whole plant to wither. 

 

I don't have a black thumb.  What is up with rhubarb presenting such a challenge?
 
I've got 80 year+ rhubarb growing my yard It was my grandparents,  my folks planted part of it at our previous house and when we moved decades ago we took roots with us.  It's been in it's current location part sun part shade for many decades and I think it needs to be moved too.  I think it needs more sun.  My dad was after me to move it for years but really don't have a good spot for it elsewhere.  Not sure what is the best environment for it, mine is getting spindly.

 

It's been split and divided many time over the years, much of the family has roots from it.  I need to dig some up and pass it on to the next generation.
 
Ralph with it coming back now let it grow all winter in your area and then spring time maybe harvest a few stalks and let it grow again.  Then the next year do somne more and by the 3rd year you can really harvest lots and when the stalks start getting smaller stop and let it grow again.  It is almost like aspargus in the time it taks to grow to full production and at full harveting when the shoots get spindly you stop so the leaves can grow in and suply food to the root crowns.

 

 
 
Ken, thanks for the info, it looks like it is well past time for mine to be divided, they have been in the same spot for 20+ years.  I remember them being big and puffy with stalks of flowers, I have not seen a flower stalk in quite some time.
 
For those of you who have rhubarb plants that may need fertilizer, fish guts are the best.  If you do it in fall, you may see results next year, but it might take until the following season to really notice the effects.  So, if you know of a fisherman, provide him/her with an old bucket, and then bury them in a circle around the plant(s).
 
Tim, I wonder if that would be like the fish emulsion fertilizer that can be purchased. It is so strong that it will draw cats to the plants on which it is used and it really can't be used on house plants that are inside; P - U.
 
It could possibly be.  I've only ever used the actual fish guts, as my dad is a fisherman, and so was my Grandpa Baumann.

 

I agree about the smell, when I bury them, I gag the whole time from the "aroma"!

 

 

Go ahead & give it your best shot Togs.
 
I think I still have some fish emulsion around here.  I was using it on other "medicinal" plants until I saw that Miracle Gro had higher numbers on it.  I'll see if emulsion helps since I don't have access to actual guts, and I prefer to feed edible plants with something organic.  We could have moderate temps here until Thanksgiving so it's anybody's guess how the rhubarb will behave up until then.
 
A friend told me one time about an experience in Florida when he was home from school. Lighting had struck a pond on his grandmother's property and killed all of the fish. He had to bury them after raking them on shore and digging big holes. One time he forgot to hold his breath as he was in the smelliest part of the process and he hurled all over the dead fish to make the smell even worse than it originally was.
 
Most of the soil in the lower elevations of the Bay Area is clay based, and tends to be somewhat alkaline as a result. I notice that rhubarb prefers slightly acidic soil.

So mixing some peat into the planting soil might help the soil get a bit more acidic. A light compost might do the same and provide better tilth as well, and I note that rhubarb also tends to prefer well drained soil.

I remember a neighbor growing rhubarb in his garden when I was a kid in Connecticut. The growth was very lush. I also like the pie; it has a sweet-tart taste that is even better than most cherry pie I've sampled.

You might try contacting your local green waste recycler. In my area they offer compost for sale for reasonable prices. Compost is nearly always better for the soil than chemical fertilizers like Miracle Gro.

[this post was last edited: 9/11/2011-20:55]
 
According to organic gardening types, compost is vastly superior to Miracle Grow and other such products. Apparently, Miracle Grow does get dramatic results, but compost is better long term. One person told me of an experiment she did--two sets of potted plants, both started with earth worms. One set had compost, the other commercial chemical fertilizer. Guess which set of pots still had living worms come harvest time?
 
I didn't think you were supposed to let rhubarb bolt if

Correct Chuck, but sometimes it got away from us.  Mine has now diminished considerably, and I need to give some thought to moving it.
 
The area around Sarasota, FL has a large Amish population which moved there to grow produce in the winter when it could not be grown up north. There are many Amish restaurants in the area that feature fabulous food and even more fabulous desserts. In one restaurant, Der Dutchman, I think, I had crumb top strawberry-rhubarb pie. The sweetness of the crumb topping, made with brown sugar, was a good foil to the slight tartness of the fruits. When you are seated, you look at the list of the desserts available and reserve your slice then so it will not be sold out by the time you are ready to eat it.

One of my aunts in Milwaukee used to make rhubarb preserves which were usually eaten over ice cream or waffles.
 

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