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Any rhubarb experts amongst us?

How much space does rhubarb actually need?

We have a small 3 x 2 ft triangular plot between the greenhouse and the path that we would like to use for rhubarb but all that our garden books say is to allow 3ft between crowns. I assume this is an idea spacing, but how little room can I actually get away with? More simply, can I get two crowns in to a 3 x 2ft triangle, or should I stick to one crown in this space?

I have another area over by the compost that very rubbly (that's why the compost went there). This space is a little bigger, but has poor soil (compost heaps should help though). This is possibly about 4 x 5 ft but a lot of that is taken up with the two compost bins and access to them so there's perhaps only a couple feet free on two sides. Would rhubarb do well with this mixture of rubble and compost or do I need to dig out the rocks and stones and give it a little more loam from some where else in the garden?

i think we put about 3 crowns within 6 inches of each other, and when they grow it looks like a monster boorarb =]

Only one in the triangle because it will take up all that space easily! Their leaves can get absolutely monstrous.

The other space I personally would dig out the rubble and fill in the hole with lots of nice compost as rhubarb likes that. They have an amazing root system.

Well, a monster boorarb sound quite appealing , but perhaps not what we need sandwiched between the greenhouse and the only path in to the veg patch. I'm tempted to try one crown there though.

Looks like Im going to be digging out the compost area. Looking at it again tonight I think I might be able to move the bins an make a little more useful space. Plenty of time to do this it seems as our local planet centre does not get rhubarb crown in until next spring, despite our gardening book saying they should be planted in autumn.

I would onl start off with one crown where ever you plant it as it will grow large and for a long time. In the first year leave a good 2/3rds of the rhubarb unpicked as this helkps to make the crown strong. Rhubarb also is water hungry so needs plenty of water. When it dies down mulch it with as much manure as you can and next year pull to your hearts delight.

If in a couple of years you want more then just split split the crow in two with a spade and dig up and move one bit of the root. Do this after it has died down for the winter and plant it on a bed of manure and water in well.

HTH

BA