[cathangirl]

I have just aquired, at very short notice, two mature rhubarb crowns.  One is sprouting like crazy already and the second has loads of buds.
There is lots of soil around them, but how proud of their new home do I need to keep them please?  What, if any, compost do I need to put in the hole first.  I have had free-range chickens throughout my garden all winter, so plenty of their manure to dig in.  Or should I scrape the top layer away?
I would also appreciate info on best sort of positioning, please.  As you see, I need every bit of help in keeping these crowns healthy.
Many thanks i n advance for all suggestions.
cathangirl

[prakash_mib]

they are very resilliant. just dig in some good manure/compost and plant them. they come year after year after year. (feed them with manure every autumn or spring)
position really doesnt matter as the shop brought rhubarb are grown in total darkness. but any spot which has enough floor space (rhubarb leaves are huge) is good.
 

[bayleaf]

My rhubarb does best on a site that is moist but doesn't get waterlogged. A free draining loam is ideal - the leaves can get pretty big so if your site is exposed strong winds can break the stalks, though this won't kill the plant. So if you have somewhere that has a liitle bit of protection but still gets the sun they should be fine. I would plant them and then put a mulch of manure around the crowns so that as it breaks down the nutrients will be washed into the soil and picked up by the plants roots system.

[cathangirl]

Thank you both for your helpful replies.
cathangirl

[Flump]

Do not let the chickens near them!they will eat all the leaves and it does them no good at all

[Salmo]

Plant them with the buds at ground level or slightly lower.

The leaves can spread to 5 ft across so leave plenty of room. I think the books say plant 4 ft apart.

[ex-cavator]

Do not let the chickens near them!they will eat all the leaves and it does them no good at all

What - the rhubarb or the chickens? (no, I've not got chickens - yet - but I'm curious & I genuinely don't know which you mean - but I do know rhubarb leaves are poisonous to humans  )

[Fisherman]

Rhubarb leaves are poisonous to the chickens if they eat them in volume. My chickens don't bother with them for months and then they just seem to get the taste for them. Chicken manure is good for the rhubarb though.

[cathangirl]

Thank you all for your replies.
Yes, keeping hens well away from them.
cathangirl

[rowlandwells]

as we're on the subject of rhubarb i have quite a patch of Rhubarb well manured grows very well where it is but it has quite a bitter taste needs a good helping of sugar with it when cooked 

i grew this variety from seed [Victoria] going to try growing another variety [champagne] from seed  is there any thing one add to rhubarb when its growing to sweeten the Rhubarb 

PS, Rhubarb is probably the best laxative in the world for some including me so a little and often please 

[Trillium]

The one thing cathangirl doesn't want to do , is add fresh manure. Chicken poo is very strong, even for rhubarb. So if you've any old stuff, throw that in.

As for height, I set mine so it's a bit of a raised mound for rain to run off rather than collect on the crown.  Space them 3-4 ft apart as they'll have huge leaves when they mature.

Before you plant, you can easily divide your heads in half, or even quarters, which will really give the rhubarb a shot of vitality as well as have many more plants.