In winter when our Dahlias are all happily packed away, we prepared some of our other plants ready for the spring growing period. Many plants such as citrus trees and these Rhubarb crowns are best purchased during their winter dormancy, and planted ready for growth phase in spring.
The Rhubarb crowns at our local big-box retailed looked quite small and sad, and it is always my preference to support other Australian growers, so I ordered these crowns online from a reputable seller. They have arrived looking very healthy, albeit a little damp, and so much larger than I expected! There are small pink stems starting to emerge which is the sign of a healthy crown (in case you are wondering, the powder is sulphur powder which I sprinkled to help prevent fungal infection).
Rhubarb can grown and produce their beautiful stems for up to 20 years! For this reason, I have chosen to grow my Rhubarb in extra large pots, so that I can move them around over the years if needed without needing to dig them up. I will keep the pots under cover out of the rain and frost until Spring to avoid the chance of the crowns rotting until they become better established.
Stay tuned for updates throughout the year as these delicious babies start to grow!