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 9th February 2010
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Rhubarb rhubarb rhubarbHow to grow it successfully...
One of the easiest crops to grow and one you can eat as early as January and which will continue to crop through to the summer. Requiring relatively little work, apart from a good mulch of well rotted down compost in the spring and autumn and a boost of liquid fertilizer in the summer. This will help the plant in forming a healthy crown and the general quality of the crop. It is not a fussy plant with regards to where it should be situated or soil-type - it thrives in sun or partial shade and will even tolerate deeper shade - its traditional place has been at the bottom of the garden near to the compost heap! It is thought that the sunnier the site, the sweeter the rhubarb. The only dislike it has is being in a location, which is too waterlogged -so try and situate it in reasonably draining soil. I've planted "Timperley Early" plants here and they're doing well - they seem to be easily available over here in garden centres. When preparing a good site, dig the site deeply and incorporate plenty of organic matter and compost. The best time for planting is in February or March as long as the ground isn't frozen. Alternatively plant in October or November. Spacing for plants should be about 60-90cm apart. After planting allow 12 months before pulling the first sticks. In times of drought keep the crowns well watered and remove any flowering shoots. After 5 or 6 years healthy crowns can be divided by digging them up when dormant and chopping cleanly with a sharp spade into 10cm pieces. Each crown section should have at least one large bud. Replant in fresh soil at the same distances as explained above with the bud just visible above the surface. In order to obtain earlier sweeter and longer stems - you can "force" the rhubarb, by starving the plant of light. You only do this with plants of more than 18 months old and start as soon as the crown commences growth in a mild spell in January to February. The simplest way is to cover the crown with a mound of straw and place an upturned bucket over it. You could also invest in proper Victorian-style terracotta pots for forcing which also absorb the warmth from the sun providing a microclimate within, aiding speedy growth. Sticks will be ready to pull after around 5 weeks. After this time expose the crowns to light again and re-use for forcing only after a couple of years to help with recovery of the plant. To harvest the sticks, do not allow these to get too large as they will be tough and quite sour. Pull gently from the base, twisting the stem outwards as you pull. Always leave three or four sticks so as not to exhaust the plant. Why not write in with your favorite rhubarb recipes and I can publish them here next month! Send them to jardinmiranda@wanadoo.fr © Miranda Bell 2005 Gardening & Horticulture Home Page |
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