Gardening for Old Folks (Adaptative)

[jvls1942]

today I took a chance and ordered $140.oo worth of parts to repair the hydraulic pump on the tractor. I sure hope they work.. they should be here about Wednesday..
.......jiminwisc........

 

[jvls1942]

good morning, looks like a dry day coming on.
it rained monday and tuesday.
today we are going to a friend's house to dig up some rhubarb roots . She said I can have as many as I want.
then I get an email from my oldest sister. She sent some roots in the mail on tuesday.. Now I will probably hear from another friend saying he is sending some roots in the mail.. this is all OK.
I have lots of clear land and my tractor can work up beds in no time flat..
.....jiminwisc........

 

[wyoDreamer]

My rhubarb plant hasn't recovered from the roofers squashing it flat last spring.
Any advice on fertilizing it or anything.
I have a small plant that does not get very big, so I want to move it to a better location. Does rhubarb like shade or full sun?

 

[R2elk]

My rhubarb plant hasn't recovered from the roofers squashing it flat last spring.
Any advice on fertilizing it or anything.
I have a small plant that does not get very big, so I want to move it to a better location. Does rhubarb like shade or full sun?

Rhubarb likes full sun. Right now my rhubarb plants are looking pretty pathetic but it is normal for this time of year. Mine will come back just as strong as ever next spring.

 

[jvls1942]

rhubarb likes full sun, it also likes high nitrogen fertilizer. composted cow manure spread on it in the fall will set it up nicely for spring.
about every 5 to 6 years the patch should be divided and started anew.. It is a good idea to do part of the patch each year so you will always have rhubarb in the spring. I plan on having at least three different patches for rotational purposes..
if you mulch it with straw in the fall, that will attract earth worms.
rototilling is bad for earthworms. It chops them up and kills the majority of them.
very shallow tilling is ok , like 2 to 3 inches.
that gets most of the weeds. and if you do it when the ground is sort of dry, the worms go deeper to where the moisture is.
Wyo. I would dig up the patch, divide it and start it anew. It probably is due anyhow..
the best time is in early spring. but a nursery guy told me that you can do it any time..
I am doing it now because now is when I have access to divisions from friends..
......jiminwisc........

 

[Molpet]

good morning, looks like a dry day coming on.
it rained monday and tuesday.
today we are going to a friend's house to dig up some rhubarb roots . She said I can have as many as I want.
then I get an email from my oldest sister. She sent some roots in the mail on tuesday.. Now I will probably hear from another friend saying he is sending some roots in the mail.. this is all OK.
I have lots of clear land and my tractor can work up beds in no time flat..
.....jiminwisc........

LOL feast or famine

 

[jvls1942]

raining, there will be no rototilling done this morning. I hope I don't have to plant the rhubarb in the rough turned soil. but it will be planted today, this afternoon, after it quits raining.
we got 3 buckets full of roots. I think I can divide them into at least 6 plants..
lucky for us it will be very cool for about the next week.
....jiminwisc.....

 

[jvls1942]

when I am wrong, I am really wrong.
we did get the rhubarb planted today. the plants I thought would yield 6 divisions turned out to be 28. we dug 24 holes and doubled up on a few just to make the rows come out even.
then today I receive a package in the mail. My sister knew I was looking for rhubarb. Yuppers, she sent some to me. that will get planted tomorrow. I will have to work up a little more dirt with the tractor..
I picked up the new flexible coupling for the tractor hydraulic pump today. $140.oo.
Big boy toys are expensive.
.......jiminwisc........

 

[cavemanrich]

new flexible coupling for the tractor hydraulic pump

This sounds like the correct solution. I'm only imagining the old shaft, and somehow think the failure was at the weld area/section due to material annealing during welding.

 

[jvls1942]

You are correct, the weld was ever so slightly not aligned . It did last for over ten years, however..
It was partly my fault for not checking it more closely when I had it made. I had it made at a hydraulic machine shop. So I assumed that they had trued it up correctly.. how wrong I was. In hind sight, I could have done just as good a job myself.. Live and learn..eh?
I will have a flexible connector at each end of the shaft this time. the whole assembly is 12 inches long.
I'm kind of cramped for space, so I might have to move the pump mount back about 3/4 ". no big hardship to do.
.......jiminwisc...... .