Rhubarb

[TheSweetestHalleluja]

I've been wanting to grow rhubarb for a while now, and have decided to take the plunge this spring. Will it grow well in heavy clay soil? Is there anything I need to know about growing it?

Made a rhubarb crumble yesterday (tinned rhubarb) and am really looking forward to being able to pick my own from our garden :)

[redcandlelight]

rhubarb needs full sun, wet feet and lots of nutrients.
deep hole (2 feet or so) half fill with (horse) manure, fill up with compost and plant the rhubarb. water well and leave for 2 years or so to establish.

[Thecatisboss]

Would recommend timperley early as I have that and it's one of the earliest varieties to grow in spring. Mine is growing up already! It also loves a good dose of manure in autumn.

I'm a very bad gardener but my rhubarb does grow well.

[TheSweetestHalleluja]

Sounds like it should do well in our clay then, I've picked a sunny spot for it. Going to be so hard to resist the temptation to pick it in its first year whilst it establishes!

[Lovemusic33]

I have had mine for 3 years, first year I didn’t get much from it but the following 2 years it has done really well, I still have some in the freezer from last summer, I love rhubarb.

[BewareTheBeardedDragon]

I have a monster rhubarb that thrives on heavy clay! I forced part of it (it's too big for the whole crown to fit in the forcing pot ), and am currently eating my first rhubarb harvest, stewed with Greek yoghurt.
Photo shows forced stalks lying on the non forced side which is growing up nicely.

Monster is in full sun, but I chopped some bits off the side earlier in the year and put them on the shady side because I've read it can cope with shade fine. The little root bit already has grown several approx 10cm stalks and healthy leaves.

[TheSweetestHalleluja]

Wow, looks great @BewareTheBeardedDragon.

I'm all excited now about growing stuff again, especially edibles. Might get some raspberries too.

[MrsJamin]

My soil was crap and my rhubarb was amazing, go for it! I love the colour of the stems and the massive leaves, it's a fun plant to have in a border. Plus, perennial plants you can eat are the best thing ever. Pity there aren't more of them that can survive a British winter.

[BewareTheBeardedDragon]

Perennial plants you can eat are ace. I have a perennial kale in my garden, and have had several meals flavoured with newly emerging chives in the last week or so

[TheSweetestHalleluja]

This thread has lifted my spirits, gardening is so good for the soul isn't it?! I've ordered a few nice plants for the front garden too, its really cheered me up, now just need the nice warm weather to come back so we can all start spending more time outside again

[Bouncealot]

Crap soil in permanent shade-still fabulous rhubard

[TheSweetestHalleluja]

Seems like rhubarb is a very undemanding plant!

[MrsJamin]

I had fab raspberries from the same soil, too, really worth having even though they were a bit thuggish and would sprout up in the lawn! All I did is cut them right back after they'd finished fruiting every year and that's it. They were originally El cheapo bare roots from poundland too! That's my kind of gardening!