Letter to Monty 8

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Dear Monty,

I am concerned about your rhubarb. I am sorry if my tweet came over a bit sarcastic, I was always told that it is the lowest form of wit. Rhubarb has also been giving me trouble and I don't mean in the gastric sense..ever since I mulched it with municipal compost (peat free). It seems I am not the only one whose rhubarb has suffered in this way. I picked up Growing to a Ripe Old Age by Edward Enfield in Hereford a couple of weeks back when looking for Anne Wareham's book. After laughing a lot and picking up some useful gardening ideas, I came across the bit mentioning this very same problem....'It did not die outright,but it produced thin sickly stalks, so weak that they could not stand upright.'

Why does peat free compost make rhubarb die back ?

I have tried to rescue it because Sue likes a good rhubarb crumble...her dad hates it. (we do love him) I have followed the advice you gave a while ago on GW and have divided it up to try and refresh it.

Rhubarb is comical...I am not sure why, perhaps its the name and its association with 'the bowels'. Now there is another preoccupation of the British which I may write to you about on another occasion.

Thank you for letting me ramble on .

Cheers Monty

Paul.

Post script

I must confess to you that there are some people who may think that you should read these letters, however, I am perfectly happy to continue writing them even if you never clap eyes on them. I am of no consequence whatsoever in the world of gardening or horticulture...I just inhabit the same planet for the time being.

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