Rhubarb German Wine

Rheum x coltorum ‘German Wine’
– Large stalks are dark red and very sweet. Great for eating raw or for
baking and canning purposes. One of the most vigorous varietiesrnwhere
the second harvest in the same season is the highest. Stalks are easy to
pull.

Planting Instructions

Do not soak these roots, plant directly into garden. Does best in an
open position and can be grown in most types of soil. It will tolerate
semi-shade. Soggy wet locations should be avoided. Plant 90 cm (35 in)
apart in soil that has been deeply mixed with peat moss or leaf mold.
Bury the root, leaving any new shoots just protruding from the soil.
Firm the soil and deeply water. Harvesting should commence the second
year. Pick only a few stems until the plants are well established. Cut
off any flowering spikes at once.

Crop Care
Rhubarb is easy to grow but with a bit of extra care and attention you
can increase your yield and produce a better quality stem.

At the end of the growing season give your plants a good feed in the
form of a top dressing of well rotted garden compost making sure you
don’t pile it up around the stems. Keep the area around the plant free
of weeds and give an occasional good soaking in prolonged dry periods.

Flower heads may appear in early Spring and these should be removed
quickly to stop the plant producing seed. If the happens your rhubarb
will be significantly weakened and will be unlikely to recover to full
strength.

Crown rot is the only issue likely to be a problem but can be avoided
by planting in well drained soil and being careful not to bury the
growing tips under compost.