I bought a couple new roots of Valentine rhubarb a couple months ago. Pickings were slim at the garden center but I found 2 scrawny roots that seemed to show more life than the others. I direct-planted them to fill some gaps in the rhubarb bed, amended with compost and kept them moist.
There was nothing showing after a month, so I found a much larger (more expensive; variety Crimson Red) root at a different garden center. Planted it the same way.
Today, I determined the more expensive had rotted. Meanwhile, the Valentine scrawny roots have at least sprouted.
I think the issue might be that straight planting in the ground, it is difficult to evenly control moisture. Sometimes I get rot, sometimes not. I hope I don't need to fill in again, but if I do (next year), I was thinking of putting roots in pots of open but moist compost & sand and setting them in the open door of the garage (light, but no rain). I can control the moisture, and not risk things getting soggy/rotting. When the plant gets some size to it, I can plant it out.
Do you think I will get better survival this way?
