Topic: rhubarb

[sims girl]

l have just dug up an old rhubarb plant that was not doing much it was producing leaves but the rhubarb it self was not good it was inedible.  What do l need to do to make sure it will grow or have l dug it up too late. ???

[goodlife]

Hmm..not knowing what you mean with inedible..it is difficult to say wether is its due to variety..growing conditions or age of the plant..there is so many things that can influence.
But If it used to be 'edible' ..you could dig the old clump up..chop off piece from edge of the clump with couple of growing 'buds' still intact and re-plant that into new place with all manner of 'good stuff' mixed into soil..more the better..and give it a good watering.
Get rid of the old center of the clump that would not be good anymore.
During the summer when ever you have any spare compostable stuff like grass clippings, old potting compost etc..keep chucking that around the plant..topping up the 'condition' of the soil...now I do hope you like eating lots and lots of rhubarb.... ;)

[goodlife]

oh..and..sprinkling of fish,blood and bone meal on soil when planting the 'new' clump would not hurt..bit like sport drink for the 'athlete'

[Duke Ellington]

Could it have been an ornamental rhubarb?

[Robert_Brenchley]

There are other species. This isn't the best time of year to disturb the roots, but you can divide it as Goodlife suggested, and it should work assuming it's the edible species. It probably is. Wait till next year before you pick anything.

What was wrong with the stems?

[goodlife]

Being 'ornamental' rhubarb  never even entered to my mind.. ::)..yes that would not taste nice :-X..I think..never tried..

[sims girl]

Could it have been an ornamental rhubarb?

There are other species. This isn't the best time of year to disturb the roots, but you can divide it as Goodlife suggested, and it should work assuming it's the edible species. It probably is. Wait till next year before you pick anything.

What was wrong with the stems?

O dear l have already dug up the smaller one of the two plants that are there and l was told that it is an eating one but they have no idea on what the name of the rhubarb is
the steams where tuff very thin also there was a lot old wood with woodlice in and around the old wood looked as though it had been eaten

[sims girl]

thanks to you all for your help with my rhubarb

[Robert_Brenchley]

Cut out the old stuff, and replant everything with buds on it. If you can get grass cuttings or manure, put it on; I used a barrowload of rooted down grass cuttings per clump this year. Then leave it entirely alone for a year.

[antipodes]

Agree with Robert. I had a problem with my rhubarb, which was as you said and also had flowered heavily. I pulled out all the old woody stems (it tend to get woody stems that grow out the middle of it), and brushed out the middle of it, only picked sparingly that season, left it to die down completely in the autumn and then divided it up in late winter and cleaned all round it and put a whole load of manure around it.
This year it is small but looks much healthier.
Rhubarb is very tough and will sprout up from just a small section.