I have questions about transplanting rhubarb, and hope someone can help. We moved into this house 3 years ago, and someone prior to us had planted rhubarb here. We have 2 huge plants. I would guess that they have been here 20 years without splitting or dividing. My sister wanted some, so I dug up one plant and the roots are HUGE! It has roots that are bigger aroung than my leg! I know the other plant is just as big. I gave her tons of this plant, and do not plan on putting this plant root back here, as I know I have to divide the other plant. There was no way, short of a backhoe, that I could get all the root out from the one I dug. Question is, because there are tons of small pieces of root left in the ground, will this plant come back? How big of a root piece does it take for these to grow? Can I plant something else there, or will I ever get rid of all this rhubarb? Any info would be great! Thanks!
rhubarb
Rhubarb that old is a wonder! For the Rhubarb to come back it needs a crown to grow from. If you have bits of roots but the crowns are gone, it will not come back. You must have awesome soil in the area for it to live that well that long. Consider carefully before you irradicate it all. It should start producing stalks any time now from the plant you have left. Usually it is divided in the fall as it dies down. Hope this helps.
Actually, I think that we have really crappy soil! It's rocky, clay, hardpan, red, and really hard to work, in my opinion. But it must have something going for it. I am leaving one huge plant in, so I can divide it this fall and replant. I'm sure that come fall I will have tons for trade! It sure grows good! I have never fertilized it or anything, besides cutting and eating! I counted new leaf shoots coming up today on the remaining plant, and I would guess that there will be somewhere in the neighborhood of 30-40 new leaf stalks coming up. That will still leave me plenty for freezing and pies and eating! I think last summer we harvested about 60 lbs of cut rhubarb from these 2 plants! I gave it to everybody I could think of! Heck, I didn't know that rhubarb is typically short lived, as everybodies rhubarb around here is that way. Thanks!
Sandi
How interesting. My Mom kept rhubarb for years and it never died out but never grew that large. Is it possible it was never harvested before you moved there which would allow all the energy to go to root development.
My mouth is watering ~ wish it grew here, I would get on your trade list. LOL