Gardening Advice Tips Compost Growing Media Garden - Westland Horticulture

How to Force Rhubarb

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:30:25 +0000

For delicious rhubarb from January to April try forcing rhubarb from November time. Follow our simple and quick guide below to extend the rhubarb season in your garden;

Step 1.

Clear the area around your rhubarb plants for forcing, making sure the area is free of weeds and that any old leaves or damaged parts are removed from the plant. Cover the crowns with a layer of well rotted, dry compost to feed and insulate.
Step 2.

Using a forcing jar, bin or pot to exclude light place over the rhubarb plant. Ensure that there are no holes letting in the light. In colder areas or for quicker results pack straw around the outside of pot to insulate.
Step 3.

Rhubarb should be ready for harvesting approximately 8 weeks letter

Forcing Rhubarb

admin — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:33:31 +0000

For very early crops of rhubarb in March and April, established clumps can be forced into earlier growth by mulching well with Westland Decorative Mini Bark or organic Farmyard Manure and covering with a rhubarb forcer or an upturned bucket. The clump needs to be starved of light to form beautiful, long and very pink stems with the best possible taste.

Harvesting Rhubarb

admin — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:32:56 +0000

Avoid harvesting stems in the first year of growth as the will weaken your plant. Instead nurture it by watering and feeding throughout the season so that the underground rhizome establishes well, this will ensure a strong plant next season. If you plant starts to make a flower spike, cut this off as soon as you see it as close to the crown as possible.

Rhubarb is hardy so it doesn’t need any special cosseting over the winter, though a mulch of Westland Decorative Mini Bark or organic Farmyard Manure will protect the underground rhizome and the developing shoots.

In year two you can harvest a small number of stems for the first two to three weeks of growth. Don’t ever cut off more than half of the stems, or you will weaken the plants. In the third year of growth you can harvest stems for 2-3 months early in the season. Choose fat, pink stems where the leaf is fully formed but not yet aged, for the tastiest rhubarb.

How to Plant Rhubarb

admin — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:04:52 +0000

Step 1.

Choose a spot where your rhubarb has room to mature and grow. An established clump could measure 2-3ft in diameter, though once it is that big it should ideally be divided into smaller pieces and replanted.
Step 2.

Rhubarb is a heavy feeder and needs soil rich in organic matter. Dig over the soil thoroughly and incorporate Westland organic Farmyard Manure into the ground. Be generous, this will provide a slow and steady release of nutrients to your plants as they mature.
Step 3.

Dig a hole, twice the size and depth of the rhubarb crown and fill the base of the hole with organic Vegetable Growing Compost. Place the rhubarb crown in the base of the hole with the roots at the bottom and the dormant shoots at the top. Cover over with a generous layer of organic Vegetable Growing Compost and water thoroughly.
Step 4.

Mulch over the top with a generous layer of organic Farmyard Manure.
Step 5.

Feed the crowns once established with Nutri Plant Feed or if you are feeding a lot of plants in the garden you can also use Feed-all Soluble Plant Food which offers good value when feeding large numbers of plants.

Gardening Advice Tips Compost Growing Media Garden - Westland Horticulture

How to Force Rhubarb

Step 1.

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