Anyone got a Rhubarb clump still going?

We were just talking about it today

when we were young a huge number of gardens still had it from the war, a dirty clump usually in an unloved corner of a garden which produced rhubarb most years, I recall it up to the 1980s and then it kind of disappeared as fashions changed

Anyone in here still got a clump on the go in their garden?

Yes!

Andrew

Yes I have three clumps not over large but plenty for us and also give away to many friends. We pick and cook it and make crumbles and pies as well as have some just with custard

Yes. I grow several rhubarb plants on part of my garden here in Cornwall. I have split the plants a few times and relocated them at least four times. They seem to like the spot they are in now. Even though I grow the rhubarb, I haven't cooked or eaten any of it in years! I prefer to give it to friends.

This year, I hope, the rhubarb will also share the veg plot with runner beans, beetroot and courgettes. I just need to clear the weeds first.

Edited By lee webster on 13/01/2023 23:38:55

My mother had a rhubarb clump and forced it under a galvanised bath, since she passed away and her bungalow is now sold there is no more rhubarb, I wonder if the new owners enjoy rhubarb but I doubt it.

Mike

We have a big clump here in Ontario Canada. Lots of people here grow it. My family has used it for many generations and my clump came from my grandmother's garden. I know for sure that this same clump and its' descendants has been producing since at least 1915 and maybe as far back as the 1860's. (that's pretty long history, for Canada) Excellent rhubarb for stewing and for baking.

My uncle had a smallholding growing rhubarb in Rodley back in the middle 20th cent. He died when I was very young, so I never had anything to do with it. However I thought rhubarb had to have a prolonged period of quite cold weather every year, how does that work with Cornwall? I very rarely see it in the shops, but always buy it when available. Stewed with a bit of apple, then served with custard. Food of the gods.

... not to mention combining with strawberries! Something I discovered when I came to Canada all those years ago.

Yes! that too. Few things as tasty as strawberry rhubarb jam. Sadly much too sweet for my A1C these days. Loved it when I was a kid though.

Yep A couple of clumps
Yum
and even better gooseberry bushes for Jam
and Raspberry's too
Moving to the country has advantages.

We have a clump in the orchard but the slugs and snails get at it. Of interest they like soot dug around the clump, I think that is hard to come by now.

Watching the Hairy Bikers the other night and they were in the rhubarb triangle. Love rhubarb but it doesn’t appear in our shops for long for some reason. While looking it up found that Wakefield have a rhubarb festival in February, may decide to go if the weather is good. I used to have a few plants at the previous house and may get some more when we move next time.

Rhubarb was part of my life as far back as I can remember, and still is, but it seems to be looked down on these days. When I lived in Dublin, it grew in our garden, year in year out, we did nothing to it, it just came back each year.

When I moved to the sticks, the first thing I did was to plant six crowns and six apple threes, glad to say all took off and are doing well. But guess what ? nobody wants rhubarb anymore ! Perhaps if it came in a tin or a pre-pack it might be different. Hard to believe, but some people had no idea what it was when they saw it growing, thinking it was a weed.

Different times, different world !

We have three different types which extends the season quite nicely. We did have a forth but unfortunately the chickens got out and ate it. According to the books chickens don’t eat rhubarb as it is poisonous to them. Ours obviously cannot read and so ignored the advice. Didn’t seem to do them any harm but decimated the plant!

Can't grow it anymore, though moving the plants to the kids gardens they grow fine. Must be like rose sickness for rhubarb.

In another recent thread, mention of old men with bucket and spade following horses to feed their output to rhubarb patches. Horses eat grass and any weeds that get in the way, so dung full of seedheads. Living next the sea in Brighton, easy to collect seaweed which is full of nutrients. My rhubarb does very well on it and no weeds! I prevent it spreading by a surrounding wall of paving stones, upon which I balance upturned recycling boxes inJan/Feb to create a light free environment to force the plants. Works a treat, nice bright red stems, very sweet, delicious. When R gathers strength, I remove boxes for it to grow on but it's nowhere near as nice later in the year. One year, I put some roots in very large pots in the cellar. OK until they ran out of water and died. I'd forgotten about them! I usually cook chopped stems on the hob, lob it into an oven dish, cover with crumble mix and a sprinkling of porridge oats to add crunch. Luverly!!

Next door neighbour has a clump 'Inherited' from previous owner. Estimate it was planted, originally, 100 years ago.

Regards Ian.

Add me to the list - a rather sickly plant under my neighbours infernal conifers. May try and move it soon ! Noel.

We planted a few when we moved into our new house in 2018 (we are 44 fyi) ... bough the rhizomes from the local DIY/Hardware/Nursery. Most lived (boggy ground) - going to lift them this spring into raised beds.

noel

Be careful about moving it,

My clump had been growing pretty well since the war but was getting a bit tired. Gardener books said move it and it promptly died!

Clive