Your comments and tips

11 Jun 17, Joanne Smith (Australia - temperate climate)

My rhubarb is mostly leaves. Huge leaves and very short stalks??anything I can do to change this?

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12 Jun 17, Giovanni (Australia - temperate climate)

Nearly all of the rhubarb available is grown from seed which means that growth can be variable. An excess of nitrogen can also cause excessive leaf growth as well so don't fertilise this winter and see if the stalks are bigger next season.

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30 May 17, Steve (Australia - temperate climate)

Cheap potting mix is fine. Just make sure to add some slow release fertilizer and compost in it. I don't waste my money on expensive rubbish that you can make yourself for half the price. As with all potting soils you must continue to feed it. The only difference between cheap and expensive potting soil is 6 months of a plant living in it then the expensive one has the same quality as the cheap one

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26 May 17, Brenda (Australia - temperate climate)

My rhubarb has been in about a year and I'm dying to harvest!!! Is it too soon? The colour is good and quite thick.

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29 May 17, Giovanni (Australia - temperate climate)

If the plants are doing well and have a number of good sized stalks you could very carefully take a few. Push the stalk down towards the ground and give it a careful twist to separate it from the plant. Do this carefully as you don't want to damage the crown or pull it out of the ground. New roots will be subject to damage if you are not careful. Enjoy!

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02 Jun 17, Brenda (Australia - temperate climate)

Thank you Giovanni. Done as you suggested and already cooked. Can see more shoots coming through. Yummy!!!!

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23 May 17, Henry Howard (Australia - temperate climate)

I have just planted out two rhubarb plants in new veggie garden.......pretty good soil with small amount of clay. In about four weeks they have developed quickly into sturdy plants, good thick stems and huge leaves. As we are going into winter (Gippsland, Victoria) I want to cut all the stalks back to within a few cms of the roots thus allowing for new stems, hopefully ready to cook, in about three months. Good idea or not?

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24 May 17, Sean (Australia - temperate climate)

I live in the Latrobe Valley (Gippsland) and we usually leave the stalks for the winter. If you get severe frosts or a bit of snow you could do what you have suggested and then cover the plants with a good layer of straw or hay for insulation.

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17 May 17, +david richardson (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi I have a single small plant which is producing multiple stems but they are very thin and as a result not really usable. the plant is on a balcony which gets sun in the morning, this is melbourne! is there something I can do to create more growth of usable stems? many thanks

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17 May 17, Jack (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Rhubarb responds to heavy doses of old manure, blood & bone, etc. It also likes plenty of water which is often a challenge for plants grown in tubs. Your aspect is fine and living in Melbourne is not a handicap! Using good potting mix, not cheap stuff, is a must when growing plants in tubs as they need to get everything out of the amount of soil that is in the tub. If it is not practical to re pot it just make a few holes down beside the roots with a stick and pour some blood & bone down the hole before closing it over. Keep the rhubarb mulched and moist and bury all of your kitchen scraps under the mulch. This will rot down and provide extra nutrients.

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