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Rhubarb. In December...

December 29, 2011
5:43 pm

prvrbs31gal

Big Chicken

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November 23, 2010

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We recently bought our first house in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. Being a New England girl at heart, I knew I wanted to plant rhubarb. The natives laughed at me and swore it couldn't be grown here. But I was determined, and I found that Stark Bros. carried some that were good to zone 9 (I'm on the line of 7b/8a.)

I planted it right before Thanksgiving, as soon as it was delivered.

Yesterday I went out to check on it (I planted it in back of the shed where it would be sheltered from the blazing summer sun.)

THIS is what I found!

I am worried about it making it through winter… it's been warm here and there's another 3 weeks to go, at least, before the 'average' temps start to climb. The gal at customer service at Stark said it's normal, and if the weather turns colder it should go dormant… I guess the true test will be what it does in the middle of July and August!

December 30, 2011
9:01 am

TeaCup

Mighty Chicken

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June 1, 2011

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Good to know that Stark has it this late! I'd jump right up and join you, but one of my best friends has an old, established patch, and she hates the stuff, so early Spring I'm off to go make her patch mine. I have a small patch that I planted a few years back, but it's not big enough to do anything more than make one meal's worth, yet. I jumped on the idea of digging up this HUGE patch my friend had.

GOOD for you! Let us see pics in the spring and see how it fared through the winter?

It never would have occurred to me to plant it in that part of the country, I'm impressed!

Judi

shedding stuff like mad!

January 3, 2012
11:11 pm

gakaren

Mighty Chicken

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January 17, 2011

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prvrbs, thanks for posting this! I'm in zone 8 on the line between a/b and have been trying to get rhubarb to grow down here from seed. So far, no luck. I do have a shady spot on the north side of my little garden house. It would get some morning sun and a bit of afternoon sun.

If you are concerned about root damage when it gets colder just put a bunch of mulch (pine straw) all around it.

Now I'm headed to the Stark Bros. site to see if I can get some too!

Thanks again! happy-flower

If I learned something today, the day wasn't a waste!

January 4, 2012
6:57 am

prvrbs31gal

Big Chicken

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November 23, 2010

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You want the Starkrimson variety. We hit the low 20's last night, so I'm anxious for the sun to rise so I can see how it fared. I covered it with the branches I cut off our Christmas tree, so we'll see. All 4 of the rootstocks were growing at a good clip… I'm trying to tell myself that the worst that will happen is that these leaves will die and more will grow… when they are SUPPOSED to!

Sounds like you have a good spot for it… I planted two on the side of our shed, and two on the side of our deck where they will be protected from the worst of our summer sun.

Good luck!

January 4, 2012
10:17 pm

gakaren

Mighty Chicken

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January 17, 2011

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We dropped all the way down to 19.1º in the early morning hours. To blasted cold for down here!!!!!!! cry