Rhubarb

Hi, I am new to this forum, hoping someone can help me with a rhubarb problem. I successfully grew rhubarb in a pot last year and have just moved it to a bigger pot but when I took it out the soil had lots of what looked like white maggots in it with a clear sticky glue on the rhubarb, any ideas what this means? Has my rhubarb come to the end of its life or can I save it as there are no new shoots on it at all now? Hope you can help!

 

Hi, I love the avatar [amaryllis?]
The nasties in your rhubarb might be vine weevil, look here-
http://www.gardenadvice.co.uk/howto/pests/weaval-vine/index.html
I would carry on with the repotting after removal of creatures, and see what happens. My rhubarb is just showing new growth, yours might still be alive. Don't know what the 'glue' could be though.

 

Agreed, this sounds like vine wevil.

The resinous material is probably a result of the injury as the rhubarb tries to heal and defend itself. Dose the pot with diluted Armillatox (500 to 1 solution) then spray at fortnightly intervals for a bit. That should put paid to the vine weevil eggs and hopefully your plant will recover.

 

Thanks for your advice, sounds like that is definitely what it is, will hunt out the Armillatox.

Yes the picture is an amaryllis.

 

Mmmm, are these maggot types, legless with a redish brown head, if so they are most definatly vine weevil. As for the use of armillatox, it is not recommended in this country for vine weevil control, I would suggest Provado by Bayer products.
I wish you good luck, why not try growing you rhubarb in the ground rather than pots if you have room.

 

Talking of rhubarb - jooged a memory. When I moved here there was rhubarb in the garden - and as I rather neglected it - it flowered. I have never seen such a thing before, very impressive.

 

Sorry for my earlier reply Provado can not be recommended for edible productsin this country. but you could use a biological control.