Rhubarb

[wendy]

Look at me posting in this topic ! I hope you are impressed.
The only thing that we grow is rhubarb. But it has really grown on it's own, without any problems.
But two years of attack by the chickens and last year we had few weedy looking stalks which we left alone.
Any ideas how I can get it a bit better this year ? I thought I would ask now, so I am ready for when the time comes.
Thanks
Wendy

[Mo]

Fence it round with chicken wire?
Some well rotted compost and manure?

We've got several clumps and have noticed that one year one might seem weak, but it recovers the next year, so good luck. Should be better now your hens are ranging so freely.

[wendy]

Thanks Mo.
The girls are not free ranging as such now. They have a 40ft run, down part of one side of the garden. So no more eating of it.
I assume I can put the compost on now. I will probably do it in the week.
Thank you so much
Wendy

[jill]

I agree with Mo, protect it with chicken wire, feed it compost and manure and all should be well.
My chooks totally decimated my rhubarb last year but unless they learn how to drive a JCB the roots will survive to sprout another day.

[James]

the leaves are poisonous. cows will eat them and get sick, but deer and other wild animals leave them alone. it sounds like chickens can eat them though!

it does well with a lot of extra compost or manure

some people put a bin over the top of it, which gives you big red stalks and small yellow leaves, instead of big green leaves and small stalks. a bin might also keep the chickens off...

[AnnaB]

Hi James

I think it was Mo that posted in another Rhubarb topic that the leaves are poisonous after a certain time in the year, I think she said June/July.
I think mine ate them early last year.

[Mo]

The leaves are toxic at any time, but I read that it gets into the stems towards the end of the season.
Putting a bin over it will give you early thin stalks instead of later chunky stalks, but as you are keeping the light out the leaves can't feed the roots, so you would not do this every year to the same clump.
Mine is sprouting nicely.

[James]

yes, covering it with a barrel is called force rhubarb, and you can probably do it every other year or so, leaving a year to recover.

i have never tried it, but if you want to protect it from the chickens for some of the year, might be worth a go.