Your comments and tips

23 Mar 20, gary ellard (Australia - temperate climate)

have been growing rhubarb in a 2mtr square wicking bed. Have shreddard old horse manure and placed it on top of the bed as a mulch. Before i did this , i was cultivating stalks regularly but then the leaves turned red and i lost the lot. I was led to believe rhubarb loves manure of horse. Have i done any thing wrong?

Reply or Post a new comment

24 Mar 20, Chris (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

It might be too acid. Have you checked the soil pH?

Reply or Post a new comment

24 Mar 20, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Manures generally have little NPK. When you put these or other mulches in the soil, they grab all the N to break the manure down, therefore the plant has little access to N and don't grow much. In future put the manure in a pile and wet it and turn it over regularly to break it down to compost before putting it on the garden. When applying mulch over put it on about 50mm thick. Mulch 200mm thick will take a long time for water to pernitrate through to the soil.

Reply or Post a new comment

18 Feb 20, Shari (USA - Zone 10a climate)

What about growing rhubarb in the San Jose CA area? I am in a warm, sunny, dry subtropical zone. The last rhubarb I planted was Victoria. It was pithy and green and bothered my stomach. I was going to try KangaRhu which supposedly is bred for warmer climes. I am a transplanted Midwesterner who misses my rhubarb. Has anyone had successful experience in my area? What type?

Reply or Post a new comment

30 Dec 20, Rebekah Sandell (USA - Zone 8a climate)

I used to live in both San Jose and Sunnyvale. Our Rhubarb plants were the envy of the neighborhood. We planted Strawberry Rhubarb we got from OSH garden (sorry) you might try the Santa Clara County Master Gardeners to find out which type is best for San Jose.

Reply or Post a new comment

09 Feb 20, Mary Russell (Australia - arid climate)

I am growing my rhubarb in a tub.The plant grows 3 slim stalks .One stalk dies then another grows.lt keeps repeating this pattern.So into able to use in cooking I keep the plant in semi shade as the sun was too harsh in good topsoil Can you help please

Reply or Post a new comment

15 Feb 20, Cassie (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

Also rhubarb is a heavy feeder and evolved in cooler temperate climates. It does not like its roots to get hot and being in a tub in a hot climate might be impairing irs growth

Reply or Post a new comment

10 Feb 20, Another gardener (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Rhubarb needs full sun and tolerates light shade. As I have outside garden beds I don't do pots. Pots need a lot more attention to soil requirements and watering. In most cases plants will survive in hot weather if watered regularly and if need be some shade. You say in a tub, does it have enough drainage.

Reply or Post a new comment

20 Jan 20, Louise R (Australia - temperate climate)

I haven't been able to buy Rhubarb Crowns in Armadale 6112. W.A. You can only buy Punnets.

Reply or Post a new comment

11 Jan 20, Kevin Crosbie (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)

Hi we live in Port Elizabeth and recently started growing a rhubarb plant in a pot. It has being doing fine although some critter has been eating on the leave. I came home yesterday and it looked like it had started wilting so I gave it some water,thus morning it looks like it is dying there are some new leaves at the bottom should I be cutting back the old growth?

Reply or Post a new comment