[NewToThis]

Hi - First post, and just started allotment garden.

Had a go last year but miserable failure. I clearly need to get advice on certain things! So...
I bought a rhubarb plant (crown?) 'red canadian'. Its been sitting in the bag in my hallway whilst i wait for the weather to improve.. but i wondered what temp it should be before i can plant. Currently we are -4 - +4 C, windchill is about -12.

Any experiences received most gratefully. I'm very lucky and have up to half an acre to use as a veggie patch in the garden, i just need to figure out how to make it all work. Last year i successfully killed rhubarb, raspberries (i think they are dead, they look rather stick like), broccoli, cabbages, brussels and carrots. My only successes being courgettes/marrows, parsnips, peas, beans, potatoes, onions, pumpkins and chillis (thanks to large polytunnel!).

Note i have dug several large beds and dug manure into it all during winter.

Thanks in advance.

[New shoot]

Hi

Rhubarb is very hardy, but if it has started sprouting in the bag, any new leaves could be frosted once it goes outside.  It would be better to get it in the ground sooner, rather than later as all the stuff outside is sprouting already round my way. 

Raspberries do lose their leaves and go stick like over the winter, so they probably are not dead, but will need pruning.  Are they summer or autumn fruiting ones? 

[NewToThis]

Hi - thanks for the reply. No idea re rasberries. Think i might just leave in situ and see what happens, anything other than a loss is a bonus. Re the rubarb it does have leaves now, so perhaps plant outside with a little straw over to cover it? Alternatively I do have a little portable greenhouse (plastic one) that i could plonk over the top..

Actually, same question has just occurred to me re fruit tress i have just bought, all hardy (plum, 2x apple and cherry).. is it too cold for them? they are currently residing in the hallway as well!

Phew, i feel like i am about to embark on a miltary operation. I do hope it gets easier with experience!

[simonwatson]

Don't leave it in your hallway in a bag, it'll be too warm for it. Rhubarb is about as hardy as you can get. Just take it out and stick it in the ground. It won't care, so long as the ground isn't waterlogged. Drowning is about the only way I've heard of to kill rhubarb.

As said already, raspberries go stick like each winter. Summer raspberries only fruit on last years growth. Autumn raspberries fruit on the current years growth. This means you should cut down the growth in winter if it's an autumn variety or after fruiting (only the old shoots mind, not this years growth) for summer varieties.

Autumn varieties 'might' produce some fruit on last years growth, but it won't be great.

[New shoot]

The trees need to go outside ASAP as they are perfectly hardy and you may encourage them to leaf up too early if they are inside

The rhubarb can go out with some protection.  As it is a new crown, it would be best to try and protect the leaves a little to avoid weakening it.

It will get easier with experience, but don't stress too much, hardy plants are very forgiving 

[Yorkie]

Last year wasn't a good year for most of us, so don't despair.

If you add your general location to your forum profile it will help as location / climate is often relevant when chatting about growing stuff.