Janet wrote:
>
> In article >,
> says...
> >
> > After decades of service, my old rhubarb died. It used to produce
> > really broad stalks and lots of them
> > I replaced it a couple of years ago but all the new plant produced
> > were blossom stalks and a few skinny stalks.
> >
> > I ordered a new rhubarb yesterday. It promises to produce few or no
> > blossom stalks. It looks like it will produce nice broad stalks.
> > https://www.growerssolution.com/rhub...e-rhubarb.html
> > Until I started looking around online for rhubarb I didn't realize
> > that some rhubarb has a nasty habit of producing a lot of blossom
> > stalks. The blossom stalks steal all the plant energy and the stalks
> > themselves are throw aways.
>
> I just pull them off as soon as I spot them.
>
> This morning I noticed new buds on my rhubarb, and put a big pot over
> it to force some tender early stems.
>
> My grandfather taught me to dig a really big planting pit for rhubarb
> and fill it with a lot of biodegradable material that will decay slowly
> over years providing a longterm food supply. I use manure, roadkill,
> bones abandoned by dog, old leather (boots, belts, bags) and old wool
> (blankets, sheep fleece,clothes).

Peat moss is another good thing for a garden. I've always used it
to mix in and break up hard sandy soil but one year I added way
too much and it was overkill. Each year though, as it slowly
broke down, the soil got better and better.