Unfortunately mine has perished. That won’t stop me from trying again though 
Your rhubarb is gorgeous!
2 Likes
Oh Jerimiah…would you ever consider sharing a root cut of your grandmother’s rhubarb? I’m relocated from the north where rhubarb was easy to grow and now live a bit north of you. I’m struggling to find a rhubarb that will grow in the midwest heat and humidity.
Not sure I can fully live without my spring rhubarb tonic. lol
Your friend in rhubarb growing!
2 Likes
Is this a named variety or just what you call a unique clone that’s been in your family for some time? It is a catchy name either way.
1 Like
Sorry to hear that, Aly. Sometimes you just get a bum crown. I had one die over the winter, too. I’ve gotten some of the worst rhubarb divisions from nurseries in recent years. Sometimes they start off weak—likely infected with rot pathogens—and they just never amount to anything.
That’s the true gardener’s spirit! 
If you don’t mind waiting a season or two, sure! Those were just divided last season, and I would like the crowns to build a little mass before dividing again. Please just remind me.
In the meantime, if you can get a good division of one of the commercially available cultivars, I believe you can succeed with it. It likes a little shade, especially at midday, in warmer climates, and does well in a raised bed, or even just planted in a mound. In Zone 6, I don’t think rhubarb needs to be planted very deeply. The recommendation for covering the crown with 4" or so of earth is, I think, principally for more northern climates. I plant mine closer to the surface. Mulch is good, though it ought to be kept pulled away a bit from the crown during the growing season. They feed heavily and love manure, though other fertilizers work, too. I’ve had good luck with a spring dose of neem meal.
Great-Grandma Conley was Lora Howard Conley (1907-1990), my mother’s maternal grandmother. This is just a clone of her rhubarb, grown for many years at her home near Little Half Mountain in Magoffin County, Kentucky. I think she may have received a start of it from her mother-in-law (my g-g-grandmother), Hannah Salyer Conley (1877-1931), around the time of her marriage to Aaron Conley in 1927. She did receive a start of garlic, said to be very old and with origins in Ireland, from Hannah Salyer at around that time—and this she always grew as a perennial near the rhubarb. I have this as well; it appears to be A. ampeloprasum, and is very hardy stuff.
She used the rhubarb in dumplings, mostly.
2 Likes
Sounds like a great plant and a great lady. Something tells me that if her clone started circulating more widely the name would morph into “Granny Conley’s” rhubarb.
2 Likes
My just dug some rhubarb root home to plant. They’re very old roots. Anyone here had experience with rhubarb please help. Are they looking normal or having diseases with root? Are they still good for planting? Thank you for any advice. Vincent
I just cut all their stalks for cooking jam.
Here are some more pictures. They don’t have any bad smell at all.
1 Like
Rhubarb roots are generally quite ugly, so they are probably fine.
2 Likes
@northwoodswis4 Thank you. I think rhubarb too old without dividing, their roots become wooden and decays by themselves. Anyway I trimmed very well and soaked them in water and bleach for 15 minutes before planting in pot for a year. Let see what going on next year.
2 Likes
I wouldn’t bother with the pots. Just plant them right in the ground.
3 Likes
By next year hopefully I’ll be able to try myself! I think 4 of the divisions you sent are doing their thing.
1 Like
Those are big sections of roots Vincent! What Steve sent me last year were smaller and they popped up just fine. I’d plant them in the ground and see how they do! Give them some mulch on top and you should be in good shape.
3 Likes
If you like to eat ‘Canada Red’ right off the plant then you would almost certainly like ‘Plum Hutt’.
According to the USDA measurements ‘Canada Red’ has tested at a brix of 3.4 with pH of 2.72-2.75. Meanwhile 'Plum Hutt has tested at a brix of 5.15-5.2 with pH of 2.88-2.93. This makes ‘Plum Hutt’ simultaneously less acidic AND higher sugar content which should have a combined effect of making it rather desirable for fresh eating.
6 Likes
you only need a 1in. chunk of that orange root and they will take 100%. ive not had one not take. dont need a shoot coming out either.
3 Likes
hmm… where would one find this cultivar?
1 Like
I think you asked the right person if you are patient…
2 Likes
I got a canada red from gurneys…
Planted it … like 3 weeks ago between my two new jplums.
It looked odd to me… i had my doubts about it living… but today while checking my plum trees noticed a big bulge pushing up in the mulch… yep its alive.
I read that it is best to start them in the fall… oh well now i know that… may get some more this fall.
I have never had rhubarb… something new to try out.
2 Likes
I have never seen ‘Plum Hutt’ for sale before, but after a few years of waiting I was able to get a division last year from the USDA. Since it did really well last year and I think it will do well again this year I expect I will be able to start propagating it some time next year. I won’t be able to make a huge quantity available, but at least I can start getting it out and will try to produce a slow, but steady supply. I think it’s time for there to start being more than just a couple rhubarb varieties regularly available in the US.
7 Likes
im definitely interested. could trade some canada red root for yours. ive got lots and its a huge , vigorous producer.
1 Like
@colorado_orange
It’s my understanding that there are folks in Florida who grow rhubarb from seed as a winter annual, harvesting those first(only) season stalks before it gets hot enough for the plant to decline. .
1 Like
Wow! Fascinating