I had roots rot away like that, so bought a pack of seed and grew them that way instead - they're easy to grow from seed and are still going strong!

Finally, at last, the weather has changed. Blue skies, sunshine and warm enough at points to not need a jacket. Now the race to catch up with jobs that should have been done weeks ago begins. Beds being cleared, sowing and planting and grass being cut – feels like we’re gardening again.

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I reckon they stand a better chance as planting into an existing bed means they will be exposed to a lot of old rotting rhubarb roots which may encourage rotting in the new root damaged by transplanting. I never have any problem transplanting rhubarb into new ground, it’s seems to be one of the hardiest things around.

Sunny but only 6 degrees again

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?