Rhubarb

Sun Feb 26, 2012 11:24 am

Hi, I'm relatively new to Helpful Gardener but am finding it very useful. I have decided to try and grow veg in containers as last year I had some success with potatoes. (Hope it wasn't a fluke.) I have planted two crowns of rhubarb (Champagne) one in a pot and one in a small bed I was groing flowers in. Has anyone any advice on growing rhubarb either in the soil or in pots. Many thanks in advance.

Sun Feb 26, 2012 1:14 pm

Rhubarb is basically quite easy to grow, drought tolerant and pretty tolerant of a range of soil pH. It prefers slightly acid soil, but mine isn't and it does okay. Mostly it is plant and forget. Mine isn't thriving as well as it could because the location it is in is too shady (a chronic problem in my wooded lot). The rhubarb likes a lot of sun.

I have no idea where in the world "Hull" is, perhaps only revealing my ignorance. But rhubarb likes coolish growing areas, where it has at least 6 weeks of winter below 40 degrees (and it's quite tolerant of colder) and not too hot or dry in the summer. If I had to guess, I'm guessing you are in England, just because it seems to be usually the UK folks who think that putting up one word is sufficient locating.

If so, it should be perfect climate for it, cool moist summers.

Don't pick any the first year. It needs to get established first. And don't over pick the second year.

Sun Feb 26, 2012 6:13 pm

Rhubarb grown in the ground has a fantastic root system.

"The perennial root system of rhubarb is characterized by a thick, fleshy, main root which soon divides into numerous thick branches. These, like the other strong laterals, attenuate gradually and end in very fibrous rootlets. The main roots and their major branches pursue various courses from almost horizontal to nearly vertically downward. Long, slender, much rebranched laterals occur throughout and thoroughly occupy a soil volume with a radius of 3 to 4 feet and extending from the soil surface to a depth of 8 feet."

I just don't see a rhubarb plant doing well in a pot of any kind. Maybe if you planted it in a 55 gal drum?

The quote is from Here.

As rainbowgardener says they are easy to grow in the ground. I pretty much planted then forgot about it. I harvest in the late spring.

Welcome to the forum.

Sun Feb 26, 2012 6:34 pm

yeah, thanks, james. I was talking about in the ground..

Sun Feb 26, 2012 6:36 pm

I've excavated a few rhubarb plants, and I agree maybe a 55 gal drum might be on the small side...

Mon Feb 27, 2012 3:32 pm

Hi, Many thanks for the advice. It will be interesting to see whether the one in a pot will do anything. Hopefully the one in the ground will. My soil is clay but I have worked a lot of compost etc. into it. Did not realise how the roots are so am hoping I've put it in the right place. Many thanks again for the advice will let you know what happens.