Chris's Weblog – City Chickens

My diary from 2006

Tag Archive: Rhubarb

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Rhubarb Victoria – Planting and Plant Care

March 18, 2022 Garden , , , ,

I have just been reading back on the blog after doing a search for Rhubarb. When we had the allotment one of the resounding successes was the Rhubarb bed. It was not hard work and gave us a bountiful harvest year after year. I have bought a root of Rhubarb Victoria which was the best variety in my opinion being hardy, productive and very tasty. I bought it from McIntyres again as, based on experience, I trust them to provide good healthy plants.

Victoria is a long established main crop variety and I am sure it is the variety that we had in my family garden when I was growing up in the prefab. We had a large wrap around garden which my mother put to good use growing produce for the table plus flowers. Happy days!!!

Rhubarb Victoria fruits during the summer months and can grow to 3′ so I shall need to prepare a good space for it. I have an initial spot in mind but I don’t intend to put it into the ground until the soil warms up a bit and I have dug in some good rotted compost. I intend to give the roots a dusting of mycorrhizal fungi powder to encourage the root to establish well.

Planting

  • The roots of Rhubarb need to go deep so an depth of two spades needs to be worked and plenty of rotted manure added if available.
  • Plant as soon as the weather permits and in a position that gets the sun.
  • Dig the hole large enough to avoid disturbing the crown and the root ball and with space all around to allow for root growth. The crown is at or just below the soil level. Firm in gently and water in well.

Follow Up Care

  • Pruning: Remove all flower spikes as they appear as you don’t want your plant to go to seed.
  • Mulch: Mulch annually with well rotted compost or manure and cover with straw avoiding the crown.
  • Water: Water regularly during the fruiting season and especially in very dry periods.
  • Feeding: Apply a high potash feed in February and for best results a liquid feed every couple of weeks during the fruiting season.

Warning: The leaves of Rhubarb are extremely toxic

Update – 28th April 2024. I have now planted this Rhubarb plant in the garden. I has done very well in the pot so I hope I have done the right thing by moving it. We shall see.

Sean, Deb and The Giant Rhubarb

April 18, 2008 Allotments, Family , , ,

sean and deb

I had a lovely day yesterday as my son Sean and his partner Debbie came to visit. They brought an enormous bunch of Rhubarb from their garden. The leaves were massive. They are veggie growing nutters too so we all went down to the plots to join Rob who was working hard digging over the remaining empty beds. We took a flask of tea and sandwiches for the worker. It was really cold and windy down there. I wish the weather would warm up a bit so we could start planting. On the way back home we popped to see my other son Adam before going back to make Cottage Pie for tea.

Just as we were setting off  yesterday Simon arrived with the laths for the tunnel and we were able to deliver them to the plot and this morning Rob and Glenn have gone down to tie them on to the ribs of the tunnel for the next stage of the tunnel building project. Much sleep has been lost pondering on the best way to make the structure secure.

Rhubarb

March 26, 2007 Allotments , ,

This evening I planted the remaining rhubarb in the prepared bed but am not sure whether its the Timperley Early or the Champagne that has survived. We also bought another root from Wilkos for £1.50. It was called Red Canadian. Ken Muir refused to refund the cost of the one we lost and asked for £6.95 delivery charges to send a replacement. Another lesson learned. I have planted three potatoes Charlotte in the white pot where the rhubarb had been. They are in the lean to at present but I shall move them outside when the weather warms up a little.

Berry Colourful Day

March 23, 2007 Allotments , ,

Today was fine and the allotments were busy. We had a list of jobs to get through and the sun broke through the clouds early on to help us along. The first job was to dig over and lime the bean trench, the new brassica bed, the sweetcorn bed and the salad bed. Then we dug over a new bed next to the overwintering onions to sow some seeds. We managed to get sixty five red onion seeds in. The rest of the bed is intended for parsnips and perhaps some carrots. We planted the cranberry plants, £2.49 from Woollies, in the same bin with the blueberries, there are now six blueberry plants and four cranberry plants in there. We have secured them under a wire netting frame to keep off the birds.

We planted a new red currant bush in the fruit cage, as our original two don’t seem to be showing any signs of life.  It was a £2 bargain from Wilkos, covered in fresh new green leaves. Whilst checking on everything in the lean to I discovered that one of the rhubarb roots had rotted away and was just feeling sorry for myself when Gordon popped his head in and gave me a tray of small lettuce plants. You win some, you lose some as the saying goes. I have spotted some rhubarb roots in Wilkos for £2 so I can pick one up next time. The root I lost was from Ken Muir and cost about £5.50. C’est la vie.