Three colours red rhubarb collection
rhubarb collection
An attractive addition to the kitchen garden, the greenish, pink or red stems taste delicious when cooked and are traditionally used to make desserts, pies, jam and wine. Thriving in a sunny spot, rhubarb is tolerant of most soils, provided they are reasonably well drained.
How to care for Three colours red rhubarb collection:
Rhubarb crowns should be unpacked and planted within a few days of arrival. Choose a sunny spot with fertile, moist but well-drained soil, avoiding heavy, waterlogged areas. Prepare the bed by removing weeds and digging in composted manure.
Plant crowns 75cm-1m (2½-3ft) apart, with dormant buds just below the soil surface, and keep well watered. Remove old yellow leaves and any flowering stalks, but do not harvest stems in the first year. From the second year, harvest only a third to half of the stems, leaving the rest to mature, and continue harvesting through late spring to mid-late summer.
Apply composted manure in spring and sulphate of ammonia in summer, taking care not to cover the crown.
If you want an early (usually more tender) crop of rhubarb, you can 'force' some early cultivated varieties such as 'Timperley Early'. Cover a healthy crown in mid-winter with a rhubarb forcer or tall bucket. This can be insulated (which will speed up the process even more), by packing some straw or compost around the outside of the lower part of the forcer. The shoots will soon appear and these should be harvested within 2-4 weeks. A crown that has been forced, should be allowed to produce its crop naturally in the following year.
Plant crowns 75cm-1m (2½-3ft) apart, with dormant buds just below the soil surface, and keep well watered. Remove old yellow leaves and any flowering stalks, but do not harvest stems in the first year. From the second year, harvest only a third to half of the stems, leaving the rest to mature, and continue harvesting through late spring to mid-late summer.
Apply composted manure in spring and sulphate of ammonia in summer, taking care not to cover the crown.
If you want an early (usually more tender) crop of rhubarb, you can 'force' some early cultivated varieties such as 'Timperley Early'. Cover a healthy crown in mid-winter with a rhubarb forcer or tall bucket. This can be insulated (which will speed up the process even more), by packing some straw or compost around the outside of the lower part of the forcer. The shoots will soon appear and these should be harvested within 2-4 weeks. A crown that has been forced, should be allowed to produce its crop naturally in the following year.
What's included:
In each collection you will receive one crown of each of the following cultivated varieties:
- rhubarb 'Timperley Early': One of the earliest rhubarb varieties which can be ready outside as early as February. It is also suitable for forcing if you want to produce an even earlier crop and will provide you with succulent, red-based pink stems with a delicious flavour. Grows to 45cm.
- rhubarb 'Victoria': This is one of the easiest rhubarbs to grow and it will produce a good crop of greenish coloured, juicy stalks that are not very stringy and have a delicious, sweet flavour. Green varieties are often the choice of commercial growers as they usually tend to be more productive than the pink types. Grows to 45cm.
- rhubarb 'Raspberry Red': A recent rhubarb cultivar producing high quality, deep red, thick stalks the need for forcing. It is a relatively early cropper and has a deliciously sweet flavour. Grows to 45cm.
Eventual height:
0.6m
Eventual spread:
0.45m
Position:
Full sun
Rate of growth:
Fast-growing
Soil:
Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Hardiness:
Fully hardy
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Humans/Pets: Harmful if eaten, except cooked leaf stalks
1 × collection | 3 crowns
£17.95
£5.98 each
In stock
(delivery within 2-3 working days)
(delivery within 2-3 working days)
2 + 1 FREE collections | 9 crowns
£35.90
£3.99 each
In stock
(delivery within 2-3 working days)
(delivery within 2-3 working days)
1
