Until now seed grown rhubarb has had a long term justifiable bad name, for almost all available rhubarb seed is the winter dormant “Victoria” or variations of it. GREEN, GREEN, GREEN, is all you will get. It goes to seed readily, and is extremely variable; often only one plant in 1000 is worth keeping.
French Harvest collects seed from its extensive rhubarb trial fields which are open-pollinated with over 50 different superb non-deciduous red commercial clones grown in close proximity. It germinates well, and if sown in the spring, can be ready to pick in only 6 months. Approximately 90% of the plants will be red, with a good percentage of stunning red clones.
Growing rhubarb from French Harvest seed has many benefits over root division.
*Availability – 10’s of 1000’s of seeds available now.
*It’s virus free.
*The variations obtained from seed raised stock greatly enhance the chances of finding a variety suitable to grow on your site.
*Large numbers of plants may be obtained quickly.
*Seed may legally be sent to most places in the world.
*Low cost per plant.
*Our trial fields contain unrelated Rheum X’s [rhubarb] resulting in many of our seedlings exhibiting hybrid vigour.
*The chance of finding your own new clone and naming it.
*Remember all of today’s commercial rhubarbs were once seedlings.
