I would think it will be okay. If it does not recover you can always buy one later. I would cover it to the levelit was in in the pot. If you can give it some farmyard manure round but not touching it that will encourage it too.

Gosh, I have managed to do a similar thing to half a dozen bulbs in my garden this year. I just left them and they still seem to grow (into what I cannot say).

I would buy another Rhubarb so that you get some crop this year but leave the damaged one to see what happens.

Any rhubarb crown planted this year should not be cropped at all to all it to establish.

Thanks for the replies and I had read that no fruit should be harvested in the first year to allow for growth, but I am just hoping that it will recover from my careless mistake! Time will tell!

I'm sure it will Flossy

Oh no, I think I am jinxed!! I have just read the comments about using (or not) home made compost for the newly planted potatoes. I planted my rhubarb in a mixture of home made and bought compost. Will this poor thing ever survive? Should I start again with a new crown?

You wil l be fine your rhubarb crown is planted in the ground were it will be able to get access to other nourishment.

Thank you so much Moon growe - you are giving me just the support that I need, which is greatly appreciated. The rhubard is actually in a large container but my compost is from a compost bin and not the open ground so I am hoping that all will be well. The herbs and strawberries which I planted in their containers all seem to be looking healthy and, as you suggested, I transplanted the mint and rosemary into their own containers - so here's hoping!

Just remember Flossy with growing food crops there are no certainties. Something will work one year and not the next and you'll learn as you go along. I started my learning as a little girl at my father's knee - I still don't always get it right :-)