We are putting in a pool and I thought that I got all the plants out of the way, but I was wrong. Lurking, and I do mean LURKING, under the soil was a monstrous mass of tentacles just waiting to give me a fright.
I first noticed this octopus like thing when the skid steer operator unceremoniously dumped it out in the first shovel full of dirt. I had no idea what it was except the roots were fat with water and bright orange. I was scared to touch it as the gelatinous alien roots seemed to move independently. I mean--had we unearthed the head of Medusa? Honestly, this photo does not do it justice.
I soon realized that this was my rhubarb plant! Crisis averted.
Note the tiny rhubarb stalks starting to form? These were still underground (and much smaller yesterday). Believe it or not, the stalks have continued to grow since the plant was ripped out of the ground yesterday, although the orange roots have shrunk a little. That is one rugged plant!
Honestly, I thought I had managed to kill this rhubarb last year. The drought has truly put a great deal of pressure on my garden, and sometime in the middle of summer the rhubarb just collapsed and disintegrated into the ground. This Spring, when I checked for life, I saw no sign that the plant had survived the Winter. Clearly, I was over-reacting.
What about you? Has a plant ever scared you? Have you succeeded in killing a rhubarb? Have you suffered an attack by rhubarb?
Thanks for reading.
