Rhubarb plants are easy-to-grow vegetables that are loved for their distinctive tart flavour. For adding to crumbles and pies, making preserves or mixing into cordials, they have a range of uses that make them a fantastic addition to any grower’s garden.
They are particularly hardy plants, being a perennial that can survive even the coldest of winters. However, one thing they do require is fertiliser as the rhubarb plant is a heavy feeder. The plant must take in large amounts of nutrients from the soil to produce its large stalks and leaves.
If you grow rhubarb in a pot, applying a fertiliser is particularly important because, due to the limited quantity of soil, the nutrients can quickly run low or leach out of the pot when watering.
Unsure of how to fertilise rhubarb plants, one gardening enthusiast took to the Backyard Vegetable Farmers Facebook page to ask for suggestions. Many recommend using iron nails in the soil.
Erin Jones said, “My grandfather swore by iron in the ground. We planted ours over old chains and miscellaneous iron nails. We always have a beautiful patch.”
Monique MacNeil replied: “I’ve always been told to put a rusty nail deep under each plant base.”
Annette Yates commented: “We started using iron nails a couple of years back and they now grow super strong and quick compared to before!”
Marie Gatehouse claimed: “My mother grew rhubarb for years. She always used iron. Like old nails and old chains.
“It worked, her rhubarb was deliciously sweeter and amazing! She would work the rusty nails and chains into the soil.”
The best time to feed rhubarb is in spring or early summer to support the new season’s growth.
Instead of using iron nails, gardening pros recommend opting for homemade garden compost, well-rotted manure, or an organic concentrated fertiliser in granular form to the soil.