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Rhubarb

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Mr-H | 17:45 Mon 05th Mar 2012 | Gardening
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I have just bought a new rhubarb crown. Can I grow it in a plastic bucket which measures apprx 15" deep by 13" wide? Does it need anything special?
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You could try, but it would be a lot happier directly in the ground. You are going to have to make sure you put lots of drainage holes in the bottom and crocks / grit in the bottom 2" or so.
Rhubarb responds to well-rotted manure.
Don't take stems off in the first year.
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I just seem to remember seeing them (on TV) being grown in dustbins or something similar. I was going to use broken polystyrene pieces to enable drainage.
That was for forcing to get the early sweet stalks... trouble is it drains the crown and it then needs to go in the ground for a couple of years to build up again...
I agree you would be better to put it in the ground if you can. Rhubarb likes well drained soil and is quite deep rooted. I think it would soon outgrow the bucket and ideally you should divide the plant every 5 years or so.
Rhubarb is what is known as a gross feeder ... It needs plenty of muck and will not thrive in a container. My granddad used to empty the chamber pot out of the window onto his ... Beautiful stuff ! If you want to force it, a portion should be dug up and left over winter out in the frost, then it is possible to pot up and cover ,to keep in the dark, with a bottomless bin or suchlike to produce tender stems. This process will exhaust the crown which can however be replanted, but let it grow without picking for a year or two to recover.

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