[Locksie]

Hello From The Snowy Highlands!

I have in my grubby mitts a packet of rhubarb seed (trying to save a few pennies!).  Has anyone tried growing from seed?  Anything I should watch out for?  And did you have much success?

Ta!

~ too scared to plant anything yet up here ~  

[Trillium]

In all honesty, I don't know of anyone who's grown rhubarb from seed. I imagine you could, but they'd be a while coming along.
Have you any friends or neighbours who'd spare you a bit of their root? Or just plain don't want so many plants?
Rhubarb are tough as old boots and will tolerate a bit of root digging, which is by far the easiest way to grow them. From your one root bit you can later divide it into more for yourself.
If no luck, then dampen a bit of paper towel, lay some seeds on it, wrap and seal in a plastic freezer bag and keep in a warm place. After a week, check to see if there's any germination. If not, check every few days. Once something sprouts, pot it up asap.

And don't feel bad about not starting anything. I'm in Canada and we've just got another 3" of snow last night, so I'm still waiting as well to start things, which will be mid March to early April.

[matron]

I grew rhubarb from seed a couple of years ago for friends. It grew Ok but you aren't supposed to use the rhubarb in the first couple of years.

[Nikkithefoot]

I too have grown rhubarb from seed. All you need is patience. No picking in the first year, maybe one stick in the second (only cos you can't wait any longer), followed by a light picking in the third. After that go for it! I find the crowns need dividing and splitting every 5-10 years, as the central portion dies back and you get a 'fairy ring' of crowns.

Well worth the wait IMHO

Nikki

[chicken soup]

I planted 7 seeds last year and they all grew well.  Looking at them today there are 6 little shoots sprouting so looks like they have survived.  I am going to plant them at the allotment this year.

[Little Miss Muffet]

i planted rubarb from seed last weekend.it did say on the packet it will take roughly 58 weeks from sowing to picking. :shock:

[Locksie]

Thanks for all your tips, we had snow again yesterday so will be waiting a little while longer to get started!

[mabel]

I am presently growing some rhubarb from seed.  I planted 5 pots with 2 seeds in each on 12th February and put them in the polytunnel (warmer here than UK)  They took about 2 weeks to germinate and I ended up with 6 seedlings which I have  now potted on.  It does say on the packet that you cannot pick the first year and then only a couple of stioks the 2nd year but I have not seen any rhubarb at all on the Island and the man in the Garden Centre had never heard of it, so I will have to be patient till I get enough to make a pie.  Love the stuff! Good luck with it.