[PembsPanther]

I have been told many many times that rhubarb is as tough as old boots and grows like a weed, my experience is far different

I planted 3 crown in the ground about 4 weeks ago, new crowns bought from 3 different shops, at the time all 3 had small amounts of growth and looked fine and healthy, fast forward 4 weeks all growth has completely disappeared, there is now nothing of a rhubarb crown above ground!

What can have gone wrong? I was thinking it might be a good idea to dig all 3 up put them in big pots and lose them in a corner of the greenhouse till next year, what do you think? Any help appreciated I love rhubarb and really want to a good supply of it, I refuse to pay market prices for it!

[Motivator]

Have faith . They will come back . My Victoria did the same six years back .

[sowitgrowit]

I have almost exactly this experience also.   

2 budded crowns from T&M arrived with the buds snapped off - I had heard how tough they were so planted them and also emailed to mention it (didn't expect a reply, if I'm honest). Two replacement crowns arrived a few weeks later - these went in too.

At the moment only one is showing any growth whatsoever. The other three seem to have given up and retreated back into the soil.

I'm leaving them in the hope that they put out some roots and burst into life later in the year or next spring.  May be a wee while before I'm harvesting and roobub though

[m1ckz]

they do die back,,,but leave them alone  they will be fine,,next year   look out,,loads of it lol gl

[savbo]

worst case scenario is they've rotted off - but only suspect that if they've been VERY wet.

Wouldn't put them in the greenhouse - they love their moisture too much.

I'd echo the advice to be patient - but if nothing appears this summer, perhaps plant new crowns in the autumn?

sav

[PembsPanther]

Thanks for the replies folks I will leave well alone and see what happens later on in they year, they either will or they wont in which case I will have to plant more in Autumn

[simonwatson]

They only time they're at all delicate is when planting the new crowns. Once established, the only danger they face is rot from becoming truly waterlogged. A crown that only produces a few straggly leaves in it's first year will amaze you in second and subsequent years.

That said, it looks like I might have lost all three new crowns I planted earlier this year. The rain at the start of May seems to have drowned them good and proper.

[sowitgrowit]

They only time they're at all delicate is when planting the new crowns. Once established, the only danger they face is rot from becoming truly waterlogged. A crown that only produces a few straggly leaves in it's first year will amaze you in second and subsequent years.

That said, it looks like I might have lost all three new crowns I planted earlier this year. The rain at the start of May seems to have drowned them good and proper.

I gave up on two that look *very* dead and planted some comfrey nearby (didn't dig up the crowns) - I hoped for a bed with the remaining rhubarab at one end and a few comfrey plants at the other end.

Should I dig the comfrey up and move it elsewhere before it takes hold and smothers the seemingly lifeless rhubarb, if there is a good chance that it will come back?


PS Ooo, my 100th post.