should my early rhubarb be poking through already?

3759allen · « **on:** February 07, 2015, 21:26 »

one of my early rhubarb emerged around Christmas and another one a couple of weeks ago. is this usual?

the one that come through first seems to have been affected by frost, and i dare say the other one will be too.

what if anything should i do now?

mumofstig · « **Reply #1 on:** February 07, 2015, 21:28 »

No action needed

Except eating it when it gets big enough

It's normal, mine's growing as well.

beesrus · « **Reply #2 on:** February 07, 2015, 22:32 »

One does have to be very careful though if the stalks get badly frost damaged in the next couple of months. If they go soft, it could well be a sign that the oxalic acid has moved down to the stalks from the leaves, and none of us want to be eating that. As much as I hate to, I discard any badly damaged growth.

3759allen · « **Reply #3 on:** February 08, 2015, 07:39 »

thats good news, thanks for the reassurance.

Kristen · « **Reply #4 on:** February 08, 2015, 08:36 »

I planted an early variety last year (not had early Rhubarb before). Is it worth protecting it with some straw or similar during the cold months?

mumofstig · « **Reply #5 on:** February 08, 2015, 08:54 »

Mine gets a shovel or 2 of rough compost from the bin, to feed it - which I suppose may protect it a smidge.
Other than that it gets no special treatment

Yorkshire Lass · « **Reply #6 on:** February 08, 2015, 10:42 »

Mine starting to poke through the soil too, As so is my neighbours rhubarb. I am looking forward to some fruits as I thought I had killed t off by moving it.

moose · « **Reply #7 on:** February 08, 2015, 11:44 »

There was some stuff in the press recently about poor rhubarb crops because it had not been frosty enough. On my plot some of the long time lottie users dig up the crown and leave it on the surface so that it gets frosted. I've just looked it up in John Seymour's self sufficient gardener and he says in one paragraph that it needs frost to put it into dormancy but a few paragraphs later advocates a thick mulch of manure /compost over winter.

Salmo · « **Reply #8 on:** February 08, 2015, 16:56 »

When rhubarb is forced by commercial growers, it is dug up and left out in the frost to break dormancy before being packed into boxes and then placed in a dark shed to sprout. After it has produced its pink stems it is thrown out. The fields of rhubarb in Yorkshire are for the production of these forcing roots.

syks grower · « **Reply #9 on:** February 08, 2015, 21:24 »

The mild weather up to Christmas was not helping the commercial growers because they want the plants to
build up the crowns and not start growing stems.
The cold snap over the last few weeks should have helped.

snowdrops · « **Reply #10 on:** February 09, 2015, 06:16 »

Quote from: Yorkshire Lass on February 08, 2015, 10:42

Mine starting to poke through the soil too, As so is my neighbours rhubarb. I am looking forward to some fruits as I thought I had killed t off by moving it.

If you have moved it you will need to leave it unpicked to build up its root system.

Yorkshire Lass · « **Reply #11 on:** February 10, 2015, 19:39 »

Quote from: snowdrops on February 09, 2015, 06:16

Quote from: Yorkshire Lass on February 08, 2015, 10:42
Mine starting to poke through the soil too, As so is my neighbours rhubarb. I am looking forward to some fruits as I thought I had killed t off by moving it.

If you have moved it you will need to leave it unpicked to build up its root system.

Thanks snowdrops

Beetroot Queen · « **Reply #12 on:** February 10, 2015, 19:41 »

Ours get nothing extra and one of them is through

Rhubarb on its way

3759allen · « **Reply #13 on:** February 10, 2015, 20:39 »

Quote from: Yorkshire Lass on February 10, 2015, 19:39

Quote from: snowdrops on February 09, 2015, 06:16
Quote from: Yorkshire Lass on February 08, 2015, 10:42
Mine starting to poke through the soil too, As so is my neighbours rhubarb. I am looking forward to some fruits as I thought I had killed t off by moving it.

If you have moved it you will need to leave it unpicked to build up its root system.

Thanks snowdrops

i know people say don't pick for the first 2 years but i took a few stalks in the first year (couldn't resist) and the next year they come back huge. i did manure well over the winter.

i bet you won't be able to resist pulling a few anyway, regardless what people say. lol

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should my early rhubarb be poking through already?

3759allen

should my early rhubarb be poking through already?

mumofstig

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mumofstig

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Yorkshire Lass

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moose

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syks grower

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