Apparently, you can't kill rhubarb

[chowmama]

The Victory Garden is proceeding fairly well. The rabbits seem to be successfully excluded and the squirrels aren't too bad. They initially dug up a couple newly planted starts and one of the squash plants (the butternut) and one cabbage didn't survive. They didn't eat the plants, so I think they were just looking for grubs or something in the newly tilled earth. One of the little bastards took the first two jalapeno peppers, but it hasn't returned and I have more coming in, so it may have immediately regretted its life choices.

However, years ago, I planted 2 rhubarb plants which never died, but never thrived. Every year, I'd get a few stalks that got about pencil-thin, wilted, and fell over. I don't know if the soil was crap (probably would've been better if it had actually been crap), if it got too little water, or what. I didn't really bother to try to preserve them when the new garden got dug. I just figured I might someday buy new plants from the garden center. I did keep track of where the soil with the rhubarb roots ended up, but they got pretty broken up and I expected nothing from them.

Every chunk of root anywhere near the surface is producing shoots and I keep finding more. The leaves are pretty distinctive, so I know it's them. I'm up to 6 plants thriving in their new home. There'll be no rhubarb this year, but next year is (with reservations) looking good.

As long as it doesn't turn out to be burdock.

Now my main challenge is to identify the seedlings, as opposed to the weeds. I've finally seen some leaves that are definitely radish, so I can spend more time taking out similar plants that aren't radish.

[Woodwizard]

1. I start my seeds in egg cartons

That way they are big enough I don't mistakenly weed them. Just scoop them out with a spoon and plant.

It's a constant battle with woodchucks in my yard.

[chowmama]

4. I tried seed-starting indoors.

The cats pried the little balls of soil out of their holders and kicked them all around the room. Only a few survived.

[Easterncedar]

2. While walking a field 18 years ago ahead of moving cows in, i spied tiny ancient scrap of a rhubarb plant

It had been set there in the 1930s by my sweetheart's mother in a garden (here in Maine) that was now long gone to grass. I moved it to a new bed, and it got very happy. There are now thriving divisions in the gardens of the grandchildren in Seattle and Minnesota. It's especially nice rhubarb, too.

[ihaveaquestion]

3. I have a rhubarb that is in terrible shape too... I may replant it in a better place based on your experience.

Thanks!

[Maninacan]

5. Replant Rhubarb

i have to move mine and break it up. some tall grass is competing with it. Helps with Asparagus too. I have may apples in the woods that really started thriving after breaking up the ground .

[UpInArms]

6. There's an app

That identifies what plants are … it’s called “picture this” …it acts like you have to buy it, but when you start it, just hit cancel and you call use it

It really helps me know what to dig up and what to keep

Rhubarb likes to be hot in the mornings and shaded in the afternoons (that’s what I have found)

Good luck!

[Keepthesoulalive]

7. I'm working on it.

[31j20b3]

8. Well, I wish aand hope that is true. Planted 4 roots 3 weeks ago

and there is nothing at all showing signs of life

Now, that doesn't mean I'm giving up on them.

In 30 years of gardening in these plots, I've seen remarkable events, with some plants rising from what appeared to be dead sticks.
Indeed, I have a Concord grape vine that looked bad for the last month and in the past few days began swelling sprouting leaf-buds

Still. I'm getting concerned about my rhubarb.