Red Champagne Rhubarb Single Pack

Spring Planting

Rhubarb Red Champagne has long, scarlet stems that have a deliciously sweet taste. Though an old variety, it is easy to grow, reliable and early. Perfect for fertile, well-drained areas of the vegetable garden or allotment, once planted it should not be moved and appreciates a generous annual mulch of well-rotted compost or manure.

SOIL PREPARATION

Rhubarb prefers a well-drained, fertile soil. Incorporate well rotted manure into the soil a month before planting.

PLANTING

Space rhubarb roots a meter apart, dig a hole large enough, so any buds are 5cm below the surface of the soil. Cover and firm around the root.

CARE

Mulch around the crown of the plant in winter with well rotted manure. Remove any flower spikes that appear in spring.

HARVESTING

Allow the rhubarb plant to settle in for the first year without harvesting any stalks. The second season only harvested a few stalks, by the third season most of the stalks can be taken. To harvest, gently pull and twist the stalks rather than cutting. Remove the leaves as they are toxic if eaten.

‘The Sutton’ can be used for ‘forced rhubarb’. Using a bucket, dustbin or terracotta rhubarb forcer, cover the mature plant in late Winter. The tender pink stalks will be ready to harvest in approximately one month. Only force a rhubarb plant every other year as it uses a lot of the plants' energy.

Plant as soon as possible after purchase. Keep in a dry, cool and well-ventilated place until planting. Keep frost free.

Grown from cultivated stock.