Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Rhubarb

2012
For the past several years I have been experimenting with growing rhubarb.  In the spring of 2012, I purchased a rhubarb plant variety McDonald, I potted it when it arrived as I did not have the space prepared.  It was almost dead when I received it and put out a couple of very sad leaves before it completely died.  

2013
The company replaced that plant in the spring.  I started Victoria rhubarb from seed, planted two plants in the ground, amended soil with Blackcow cow manure. Didn't harvest anything from them this year.  The winter 2013-14 had a couple of periods of below 10 F temperatures, which is not a regular occurrence in this area.  Our winter are typically warmer.

2014
Spring, topdressed each plant with 10-15 lbs of Black Cow.  Victoria Rhubarb came up first with the McDonald showing signs of life several weeks later.  All grew to a point where I was comfortable harvesting some.  I harvested   __  lbs in ?month.  Was able to make strawberry rhubarb jam and something baked.


2015
The three rhubarb plants are planted on the north east side of the house and are sheltered from the wind.  They get morning sun until almost noon.   I dug and divided the one plant that was closest to the house.  It is a Victoria and it did not seem to be doing as well as the one that was further from the house, the air vent from our gas water heater is near there and probably adds more heat to the area than the rhubarb likes.
3-22-15 The larger Victoria
When I dug and divided the rhubarb it had taproots that went down probably in excess of a foot and a half.  I ended up breaking those to get it out of the ground.   I divided that plant  into two and planted one further out from the house and gave one away. 

 I don't know if the results I'm seeing will be characteristic as we have had colder winters look normal, with periods of time in the single digit temperatures but we will see.  Each year I have given each plants at least 10 pounds of composted Blackcow, and will continue this practice.  This experiment seems to be going well so far and I will be able to harvest quite a bit.  I will harvest 1/3 or the stalks and will report here when I have done that.
4-16-15 Mcdonald on the Left, the other two are Victoria

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