New approach to rhubarb

A place to chat about anything you like, including non-gardening related subjects. Just keep it clean, please!

Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter, Chief Spud

jane E
KG Regular
Posts: 369
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2005 11:00 am
Location: Leics

I've tried something new with my rhubarb this year. I always let the frost and cold weather get at the crowns in the first part of the winter - done that just the same. Then I usually pile manure over it and a few buckets over the first patch to emerge above the manure to get some really sweet forced rhubarb early. It's been moderately successful in giving me forced rhubarb but not brilliant. This year I piled the manure over and then I happened to go into the barn and see the dropped waste straw on the floor and I had an idea. I've piled all the straw off the floor over the top of the manure on the rhubarb and then held it down by some more manure spread lightly on top. We'll see if the rhubarb is any better!

PS. Remember not to add mulches after frost because you seal the frosty cold IN.
PLUMPUDDING
KG Regular
Posts: 3269
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 10:14 pm
Location: Stocksbridge, S. Yorks

I do something similar. I put a couple of tubfulls of hen hut cleanings, which are manure, shavings and straw in autumn when they've died down and top it up over winter when the birds have kicked it about a bit.

Like others mine have sent small sticks up at the end of December, which is unusual, but the thicker ones are growing nicely and should be picking size by mid-Feb. It is Timperley Early and lives up to its name.
User avatar
Diane
KG Regular
Posts: 1640
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2005 3:08 pm
Location: Wimborne, Dorset.
Been thanked: 1 time

That's a good idea about the henhouse litter......I usually just put it onto the compost heap, but I think I'll try that tip.

(now heading out to chickenhouse with wellies, spade and bucket!). :D
'Preserve wildlife - pickle a rat'
User avatar
FelixLeiter
KG Regular
Posts: 830
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2009 12:18 pm
Location: East Yorkshire

I'll wait to see your results before adopting this tip. The way I see it, the stalks will be bent and / or dirty. I always invert a bucket or similar over the crown, then the straw over that. Long manure (that is, un-rotted) or even straw is always better for using for forcing because it heats up as it decomposes, encouraging speedier growth.
Allotment, but little achieved.
PLUMPUDDING
KG Regular
Posts: 3269
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 10:14 pm
Location: Stocksbridge, S. Yorks

Felix, I don't put it on the new leaves, I let them grow through it, so they are nice and clean, but the bottom of the plant is protected and covered over winter. I'm not using it for forcing them, just for winter protection, and to feed the plant when the mulch breaks down. I've had this plant for at least 15 years and it is still a beautiful plant even after sharing lots of cuttings off it with friends.

It produces tender pink stems very early and larger chunkier but still good flavoured all summer, it has a rest and then sends up another lot of new stems into autumn until the frosts, so seems to like the treatment it gets.
jane E
KG Regular
Posts: 369
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2005 11:00 am
Location: Leics

Henhouse material can be very strong. You don't find it burns the rhubarb, do you?
PLUMPUDDING
KG Regular
Posts: 3269
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 10:14 pm
Location: Stocksbridge, S. Yorks

Hi there, The hen hut cleanings are mixed with quite a lot of shavings and straw, and I don't let the manure build up too much. As I use it mainly as an over winter mulch it has probably broken down and diluted a bit when the new season's sticks push through and they seem very happy with it.

It may sound silly, but I look on this particular rhubarb plant as a kind of pet, I've had it for so long. I love the architectural structure of the leaves as they unfurl and in spring it can grow four or more inches a day. It goes from just a heap with buds on to large enough to conceal the water butt and the view of the hut from the house. It is quite magnificent in summer, and seems to thrive on its treatment

I've even used the really large leaves as a mould to make concrete bird baths!
Beryl
KG Regular
Posts: 1588
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2005 6:06 pm
Location: Gosport, Hants.
Contact:

That was a good tip about not mulching in fosty weater Jane.
Thanks
Beryl.
User avatar
John
KG Regular
Posts: 1608
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2005 10:52 am
Location: West Glos

I'm always puzzled by the use of the word forcing for covering up rhubarb to get some early stems. To be strictly correct all that we do is to cover the crown to exclude light from the emerging stems - and this is blanching in my book. Forcing would be digging up the crowns and keeping them somewhere warm to start early growth off like they do around Wakefield.
I cover my crowns with 'dalek' type compost bins and this works really well. Picking is easy - just lift off the bin and take a few stems and if you need to see how its coming along just take off the top lid to have a look inside. A few years ago the local council here gave away free bins to households. Most of my neighbours soon gave up using them and gave them to me so I've got quite a useful little collection.

John
The Gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men’s lives, the hours spent fishing Assyrian tablet
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
I am a man and the world is my urinal
User avatar
FelixLeiter
KG Regular
Posts: 830
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2009 12:18 pm
Location: East Yorkshire

John wrote:To be strictly correct all that we do is to cover the crown to exclude light from the emerging stems - and this is blanching in my book.

That is indeed blanching. But forcing can be done through the same process, with the extra step of covering the bucket / blanching pot / dalek or whatever with a good heap of long manure. This heats up as it ferments, warming the crown and bringing it into earlier growth.
PLUMPUDDING wrote:Felix, I don't put it on the new leaves, I let them grow through it, so they are nice and clean, but the bottom of the plant is protected and covered over winter. I'm not using it for forcing them, just for winter protection, and to feed the plant when the mulch breaks down.

I didn't think it was put on the new leaves. But I can't see that the stems are going to remain particularly straight nor clean once they've shouldered their way through. There is no necessity for winter protection. Rhubarb is as hardy as you like.
Allotment, but little achieved.
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic