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.