Your comments and tips

03 Jan 17, Graeme (Australia - temperate climate)

My rhubarb was doing quite ok......only just 12 months old. It is planted in my raised bed vegie patch. But suddenly the stalks and leaves went limp and have now perished. It looks quite dead. I watered it along with the rest of the vegies almost daily. Could I have over-watered it ? If so, would I be better having my rhubarb in a large pot ? The vegie patch gets bags of cow manure and organic each year before planting, so the soil is quite rich. (My tomatoes have gone "feral). Any help you can give would be appreciated. I live in Corowa on the Murray River and we have hot summers.

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03 Jan 17, John Mauger (Australia - temperate climate)

Rhubarb normally thrives with plenty of water and manure but doesn't like the belting heat. I have grown rhubarb for years in a spot with morning sun and shelter after noon. and have had good success. if you have digging around the plant you may have rodents eating the roots but I've never encountered that. Sorry I can't be of more help.

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29 Dec 16, Sue Burns (Australia - temperate climate)

I have a very small rhubarb growing in a small pot. When can I plant it out into a large tub? It is now summer in Melbourne.

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24 Dec 16, Lorrainr (Australia - temperate climate)

Does the crown need to be kept covered?

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26 Dec 16, John (Australia - temperate climate)

Rhubarb likes plenty of moisture. Covering up to the neck of the crown with soil or mulch would be beneficial. Trust this helps.

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15 Dec 16, Carol (Australia - temperate climate)

My rhubarb is young only 6 months and they are in plastic pots with lids under the pots. Is this ideal or should I remove them as I water daily as we have extreme heat in Perth, They are under a shaded area I have built so not in direct sun

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20 Dec 16, John (Australia - temperate climate)

It is really better to grow rhubarb in the ground as you don't want the roots to 'cook'. If the tub is large and not exposed to direct heat it should grow OK. When potting up any vegetable in tubs it is a good idea to line the bottom of the tub with nespaper, old jeans or other cotton clothing. Baby nappies with the elastic, etc trimmed off are also ideal as the crystals will hold a lot of water as a reservoir for your plants. Rhubarb likes a lot of manure so a generous amount of pelletised organic fertiliser, cow manure or blood and bone is beneficial. Mulch the plants with lawn clippings or something similar as this will help retain moisture. trust this helps.

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14 Dec 16, Rod Rix (Australia - temperate climate)

When is the rhubarb ripe for harvesting--- Is it when the whole stalk is red OR only partially red?

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20 Dec 16, Nola (Australia - temperate climate)

There are both red and green stemmed rhubarb plants. The green stems will always be green and taste just as good. My red rhubarb stems are red from the beginning so harvesting is just a matter of pulling the stem off when I want to use it. Sometimes the stems are thin, but during mid to late spring are usually thicker. The plants are gross feeders so keep the compost up to them and water well in summer. I chop the leaves from the stems and leave them around the base of the plant.

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12 Dec 16, Margaret (Australia - temperate climate)

We have a very old healthy rhubarb plant in a pot. Very prolific but for the last year it has only thin stalks. The stalks used to be much thicker. Can I do anything to make the stalks thicker? Still delicious thoug.

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