This is the journal of my endeavours to grow a range of fruit, veg and flowers from seed, grow organically, and my attempts to create a personal paradise with 1/2 acre of maintained gardens and 1/2 acre wild meadows. Northern Ireland's average daily high temperatures are 18 °C (64 °F) in July and 6 °C (43 °F) in January. Soil type: Clay

Friday 11 February 2011

Rootin for Rhubarb

The rhubarb is emerging...

A friend gave me a piece of rhubarb years ago and it comes up annually without fail in abundance. I'm thinking about forcing it this year but will have to read up on this on the web. I see people forcing on TV... but I'm scared! What if i get it wrong & end up with no rhubarb?

Hmm, not the prettiest of photos...

I see several shoots coming up. Thinking I probably should have divided it and it's maybe too late. Looking forward to rhubarb pie, strudel & preserves. Yum!

8 comments:

  1. I think that first photo is a classic - the promise of good things to come!
    Must go and see if my own rhubarb is coming up yet (if the rain stops...)

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  2. Things are really starting to come up in your garden! I have never grown rhubarb, so this was quite interesting to me.

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  3. Hi Kelly,
    I haven't rhubarb, but if they grow well than I know that the rhubarb pie en preserve could be delicious.
    I wish you all succes with the rhubarb.
    greetings, Elly

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  4. I don't think you can fail when forcing rhubarb, just make sure that it's completely covered and no light at all can get to it. It does weaken the plant though so it shouldn't be forced the following year. Good luck, let us know what you decide to do.

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  5. Things are really livening up in your garden!Hope you do get lots of rhubarb!

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  6. Hi Kelli, I have not forced any of our rhubarb even though it is up over the ground too.I think you should only force a well established plant a few years old and then not try to force that plant for at least 3 years to allow it to recover fully.
    Great to see something over ground after the cold winter!We are getting forecasts predicting at least another month of wintry weather.

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  7. Thanks for the advice & tips on forcing rhubarb!

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  8. "What if i get it wrong & end up with no rhubarb?"

    I'm in exactly the same boat! My rhubarb's also well established, but I just can't bring myself to cover it up just when it's coming into growth!

    Great blog!

    Tim

    PS. Cheers for following mine!

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