Posted under General interest & Orchard care & Trees & Planting
On a sunny Sunday afternoon in March, we met to plant 29 rhubarb crowns of various varieties. We received a grant from the Mayor’s Charity Fund for these plants (Thank you!) Many hands make light work, so the crowns were quickly set into the ground.
Lots of helpers make fast work of planting rhubarb
While the crowns are still quite small, you can see them as soon as you walk in the gate — just look up to the right, through the willow planting.
Hard at work planting rhubarb
It’s important to remember than rhubarb needs to be left alone for the first year after planting. Roots need to develop before any leaves can be taken; taking leaves in the first year will weaken the plants. Next year, we’ll be able to harvest a few leaves from each plant, and the following year they should be well established.
So remember: Please don’t pick the rhubarb!
Thanks to all the volunteers, and to Steve Lewis and crew for staking the area for us (and for planting crown 30, which was misplaced temporarily!)
Volunteer rhubarb planters
