[allotmentann]

Okay, I know every single one of you has huge, gorgeous, lush, rhubarb plants. I can't grow it. I have one sad plant in my garden which produces on average one poor stick a year. I have always put this down to my sandy soil (I wouldn't have tried to grow it in my garden, but it was in the garden when I bought the house).
Last spring I bought three very expensive crowns from a well known company, when they arrived they were covered in blue green mould. The company assured me that this was normal and they would be fine  . I didn't really believe this, but as they wouuld not replace them I planted them at the plot in my clay soil, not too deep, with garden compost and manure added. All three plants produced a couple of small leaves, but soon looked very sickly and I rang the company - this time they promised to send three new crowns. Good job they did as they have totally disappeared now, not a sign that they ever existed.
The new crowns arrived last week and they looked like slices of tree trunk, and I could not see any buds at all, so  have had to guess where the buds might be going to grow.
I noticed last week someone posted an offer from Mr Fothergills (thank you). They arrived today, and unlike the other crowns I can clearly see the buds. They look far nicer plants altogether.
Also, I ruined the rhubarb on the other plot i work when I moved it (didn't split it, just moved it, and that too now seems to have disappeared.
So, my questions are - what am I doing wrong? Am I missing something very basic? Is there any hope that the budless ones will grow? And what can I do to ensure success with the new ones?
The only rhubarb on my plot that I have any hope for is the one I grew myself from seed, which so far looks ok.

[arugula]

The rhubarb experts will give you plenty ideas I'm sure, but I don't think it is your sandy soil causing the problem. We have sandy soil here and inherited the lushest rhubarb patch you could wish for - if you liked rhubarb. We took it out to grow things we wanted to in that area, left it lying out in the open intending to take it to the dump and it started to grow again, so we gave it ground space again in a different place.

I'm glad someone has made use of the rhubarb offer and its good to hear they sound good. Thank you!

[pdblake]

Rhubarb should be dying back now anyway and may well look as though it's disappeared.

[allotmentann]

The rhubarb experts will give you plenty ideas I'm sure, but I don't think it is your sandy soil causing the problem. We have sandy soil here and inherited the lushest rhubarb patch you could wish for - if you liked rhubarb. We took it out to grow things we wanted to in that area, left it lying out in the open intending to take it to the dump and it started to grow again, so we gave it ground space again in a different place.

I'm glad someone has made use of the rhubarb offer and its good to hear they sound good. Thank you!

Well, thank you for the tip If I kill this lot it won't be such an expensive mistake! And I just knew I would get tales of rhubarb left on the compost heap etc that just carried on growing! I would be happy with just one good plant!

Rhubarb should be dying back now anyway and may well look as though it's disappeared.

Yes, but I have dug the ground up, there is nothing in the soil at all, not even a hint there was rhubarb there!

Oh! And I forgot, I did actually have two beautiful plants growing from seed, but one of those also died within a couple of weeks of planting!

[ferret1988]

curse of the rhubarb :blink:

[snowdrops]

The one with no buds you could leave unplanted until the spring & see where it starts to shoot & then plant it & leave it alone for a few years before picking any stalks,Just add plenty of well rotted manure around the crown but not over it each autumn.

[allotmentann]

curse of the rhubarb :blink:

It does feel like that!

Snowdrops, that is a good idea. How would I need to store it?

[snowdrops]

I'd just put it loosely in some compost in the shed or under the greenhouse bench.

[grendel]

just moved some of our rhubarbout of an old half barrel, some of the roots were as thick as my arm, a few roots got broken in transit, so after planting the other 5 crowns I just dug a hole and threw all the odd bits of root in - fingers crossed they may grow into crowns, they are now surrounding the goosberry in the front garden. - yes at the moment they are looking very dead.
Grendel

[allotmentann]

Grendel I am sure that you will have loads of new rhubarb plants from your broken bits!

Thanks for the advice Snowdrops, I will do just that and see what happens!

[aelf]

I can't grow rhubarb either 

I've tried several times,with  new plants, different spots on the plot, followed instructions from here and from books but to no avail - the plants just look sickly for a few months than keel over.

I've come to the conclusion that it's just not meant to be 

[sarajane]

The one with no buds you could leave unplanted until the spring & see where it starts to shoot & then plant it & leave it alone for a few years before picking any stalks,Just add plenty of well rotted manure around the crown but not over it each autumn.

This would be my advice too.  Also don't relegate it to a dark corner.  Rhubarb likes sunshine.

Rhubard does need plenty of water though but I feel that yours have probably just rotted this year with the amount of rain we have had and them being such new plants.

[GrannieAnnie]

Rhubarb doesn't like me either!

When we lived in Essex, there were 2 crowns there, but they died.

Then we moved here and down the side of the dyke there is loads of rhubarb growing wild.  over the years our side died off, but next door's has HUGE plants and they grow earlier than ours did.

Then in 2006 my friend gave me 2 lovely plants from a nursery that was closing down, and they've never done much, but now one is dead and the other one gives me a couple of skinny stalks.

So no you are definitely not alone!   

[noshed]

Rhubarb seems to do very well on my plot. I've just tidied my patch up and covered it with rotted strawy manure. That seems to do it good and then it grows ridiculously for weeks in the spring. I usually stop pulling it around mid/end June to allow it to recover.

[Growster...]

Rhubarb's one of those forgiving plants, which doesn't seem to mind if the soil is alkaline, or acid, so as said here, just a big dose of manure, and a good talking to, will mean that you'll be fine next year!

Through various generous gifts, we have eight crowns growing now, and I maybe getting to the point where I say,;just come down here and have some of ours, if you can find us amongst the foliage...;0)

But that's for next year...