Growing rhubarb from seed

When I first decided to plant rhubarb some time ago, I found it pretty hard to come by. The nurseries that did sell it, only had it in large  20 or 25 cm pots. Digging a hole for a pot that size in the heavy soil where I wanted to plant it, just wasn’t on and besides, I wanted many plants. I searched in vain for small plants in small pots.

I discovered that Edens had rhubarb seed in their catalogue and sent for some. It germinated readily and so well that I reckon nearly every seed came up.

I sent for more seed last year and had the same good germination from two varieties—Crimson and Victoria, sown in March and germinated in only 10 days. I’ve just planted nine plants from that batch along the first hugelkultur mound:

Each plant has had a good dose of aged cow manure. Here’s hoping for great yields!

The rest of the mound will be used for pumpkins, zucchinis and cucumbers. All the rain we’ve had over winter has prompted the growth of the native ground cover (Stinking Pennywort—Hydrocotyle laxiflora) which was growing there naturally and it’s almost covered the mound. It will make a good living mulch:

It doesn’t look it, but that mound is about 40 cm high. Those leafless ‘sticks’ behind the mound are just-planted raspberry canes. I’m determined to get good value out of my hugelkultur beds!