A rhubarb experiment

[Prairie Rose]

Everyone always says to get rhubarb crowns when a friend divides...but nobody I know grows rhubarb. The old farmstead my father knew of that had it got plowed under last year. I love the stuff....the more ways I find to fix it, the more I love it. I found an old pack of rhubarb seeds in my seed basket from many years ago. Decided oh, what the heck, and tossed a few of them on a damp paper towel in a plastic bag to check for germination.

I got about a 50% germination rate, and couldn't stop myself from poking the sprouted seeds into some potting mix and onto the plant shelf where my orchids and succulents overwinter. I know it's totally the wrong time of year for where I'm at to start rhubarb, but it can't hurt to try!

I started 8 seeds in four pots; I am hoping one makes it through till spring to be planted outside.

 

[dickiebird]

Good luck. I do love rhubarb and found some bare roots at a farm supply store last spring. About 8 plants have a real good start in 5 gal. buckets on my deck.
I hope they make it through the winter!!!!

THANX RICH

 

[flowerbug]

Everyone always says to get rhubarb crowns when a friend divides...but nobody I know grows rhubarb. The old farmstead my father knew of that had it got plowed under last year. I love the stuff....the more ways I find to fix it, the more I love it. I found an old pack of rhubarb seeds in my seed basket from many years ago. Decided oh, what the heck, and tossed a few of them on a damp paper towel in a plastic bag to check for germination.

I got about a 50% germination rate, and couldn't stop myself from poking the sprouted seeds into some potting mix and onto the plant shelf where my orchids and succulents overwinter. I know it's totally the wrong time of year for where I'm at to start rhubarb, but it can't hurt to try!

I started 8 seeds in four pots; I am hoping one makes it through till spring to be planted outside.

i've never grown them from seeds, but once the plants are large enough to plant outside they seem pretty hard to kill unless you live too far south or let them dry out.

i'm not sure they'll do well in a greenhouse setting. the cooler weather here makes them go dormant and then they come back in the spring. i don't think a greenhouse with orchids would be cool enough to make them go or remain dormant and a sprout as young as yours may not have enough root/energy yet to survive a winter freeze.

too bad you are too far away as we have plenty here i could give you some chunks in the spring.

 

[flowerbug]

Good luck. I do love rhubarb and found some bare roots at a farm supply store last spring. About 8 plants have a real good start in 5 gal. buckets on my deck.
I hope they make it through the winter!!!!

THANX RICH

it's not the winter that is tough on them - it is the heat of summer or drying out in the pots... do you have some way to shade them a bit in the hot part of the summer down there?

 

[dickiebird]

With the amount of rain we've had this year there was no problem of them drying out.
They do get shade in the afternoon.
My greenhouse is not heated so I think they'll do fine in there this winter.

THANX RICH

 

[catjac1975]

Everyone always says to get rhubarb crowns when a friend divides...but nobody I know grows rhubarb. The old farmstead my father knew of that had it got plowed under last year. I love the stuff....the more ways I find to fix it, the more I love it. I found an old pack of rhubarb seeds in my seed basket from many years ago. Decided oh, what the heck, and tossed a few of them on a damp paper towel in a plastic bag to check for germination.

I got about a 50% germination rate, and couldn't stop myself from poking the sprouted seeds into some potting mix and onto the plant shelf where my orchids and succulents overwinter. I know it's totally the wrong time of year for where I'm at to start rhubarb, but it can't hurt to try!

I started 8 seeds in four pots; I am hoping one makes it through till spring to be planted outside.

I started mine from seed around 40 years ago. They produce every year.

 

[Prairie Rose]

I have them on a shelf inside. Right now it faces an east window, but by the middle of next month I will bring in my orchids and succulents that won't tolerate our cold winters, and turn on the LED grow lights. Usually at that point I move them to the storage room, which is quiet, not as dry as the rest of the house (we heat with wood quite a bit), and let things be. I switched to lights a few years back because I only have one window with good exposure for plants, and almost lost all my succulents and orchids because of a lack of light.

The shelf is actually a tiny mini greenhouse thing, I only close it up in the spring when I am trying to start seeds. This rhubarb will be at temps about 60-65 during the day, and mid fifties at night all winter long. I usually set the lamps to run for about twelve hours.

I'm not looking for huge growth, just a little plant big enough to set out in the spring. If they all die, I have plenty more seed to start over again in the spring.

 

[Carol Dee]

Sounds like a plan @Prairie Rose

 

[ducks4you]

Mine are tough. I cut into my main plant some 3 years ago, so it got accidentally divided, both survived and thrived. I removed both last Spring, moving day for most perennials in That bed, and both have thrived, on in my flower bed east side of house (with PM shade) and the other, full sun, in with mint. I forgot where the (aGAIN accidentally divided 2019) rhubarb went, but last time I looked it looked good.
You are wise NOT to transplant now. We never know how much warm weather we have left in late September, and there is a snowstorm brewing out west in the Rockies and northern plains this weekend, so won't be long before snow.
Keep them lit. Keep them watered. Should do fine until next Spring.

 

[thistlebloom]

I would be happy to send you a start in the spring if you'd like.
Just PM me when it's time.