Author Topic: Rhubarb going to seed... (Read 29012 times)

Jokerman · « **on:** April 13, 2009, 21:00:34 »

All my rhubarb has gone to seed and both my neighbours have the same problem... the plants are 2 years old on my plot. Will this stop me having rhubard this year and what can I do to prevent it? ??? 8) ???

elvis2003 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 13, 2009, 21:10:59 »

so has ours! and everyone elses at our lottie,ive been told to pull the flower heads off?

Ninnyscrops. · « **Reply #2 on:** April 13, 2009, 21:18:13 »

Mine too! Apparently we have to twist them off or they weaken the root and result in thin stems of rhubarb :(

gwynleg · « **Reply #3 on:** April 13, 2009, 21:32:54 »

Mine too!

delboy · « **Reply #4 on:** April 13, 2009, 21:58:26 »

Don't panic! Just pull off/twist off the flower heads as they (keep) coming up and you'll still get a good crop.

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #5 on:** April 14, 2009, 10:05:35 »

I'm pulling them off at a rate of knots, I have to every year. It's perfectly normal for the plant to want to flower, but if you let it, it puts its energy into producing seed not stalks.

hopalong · « **Reply #6 on:** April 14, 2009, 10:15:26 »

Mine have not flowered before but several have done so this year. I've simply pulled the flower spikes off as soon as I've seen them forming.

angle shades · « **Reply #7 on:** April 14, 2009, 10:18:33 »

everyone at our lottie site is saying the rhubarb is flowering, mine included,but is it just me or is it incredibly early for it to be flowering :-\

isn't it usually in the summer? /shades x

reddyreddy · « **Reply #8 on:** April 14, 2009, 17:41:05 »

mine too! my neighbour said snip them off, they smelt lovely!

littlebabybird · « **Reply #9 on:** April 14, 2009, 18:58:16 »

Quote from: reddyreddy on April 14, 2009, 17:41:05

mine too! my neighbour said snip them off, they smelt lovely!

i love the smell of them but no one else seems to like it

lbb

kt. · « **Reply #10 on:** April 14, 2009, 23:22:35 »

I snapped the flowering stem off mine today. First time I have ever seen rhubarb go to seed. It was only on one of the crowns..... so far anyway ::) ::)

saddad · « **Reply #11 on:** April 15, 2009, 18:26:17 »

Did mine as I sat by the pew with the beer.... non on Thursday last week, go away for a short weekend and there were eight flower stems... :-X

Jokerman · « **Reply #12 on:** April 15, 2009, 21:13:47 »

I'll cut the buggers off then!!! Never seen it before. I tried pulling one but most of the plant came up with it.... :'(

loopyloulou · « **Reply #13 on:** April 15, 2009, 22:58:24 »

mine went to seed last yr and look set to do the same again this yr too, have noticed a lot of other people rhubarbs doing the same, was just told the break the flower stalks off n not 2 worry, phew! was looking forward 2 rhubarb crumble :)

thifasmom · « **Reply #14 on:** April 16, 2009, 00:01:58 »

is this going to seed thing fairly common or not why i ask is because so many people seem to be quite surprise by it happening and also surprise by the amount of plots on their sites its happening to. i wonder is it because of the last winter temps have told the plants to try and reproduce, just wondering out loud ???

ceres · « **Reply #15 on:** April 16, 2009, 00:26:56 »

For the last few years, I've only seen an odd crown flowering on my site. This year, most seem to be flowering (except mine, so far!). Thing that surprises me is that we've had the kind of winter that is supposed to be good for rhubarb. Maybe the plants don't try to reproduce until they've had the 'ideal' chill period? Reading one of the garden mags this week talking about the effect of climate change on various things we grow and rhubarb will be one of the crops at risk in the south of the country because of the absence of a chill period.

THE MASTER · « **Reply #16 on:** April 16, 2009, 00:32:57 »

mine have started to flower up aswell. gonna leave one flower on and see if i can get seeds from it. as ive grown my rhubarb from seed.
no worries as ive got more rhubarb up the other end of my plot , so i will have my rhubard crumble anyways :P

THE MASTER · « **Reply #17 on:** April 16, 2009, 00:37:53 »

Quote from: ceres on April 16, 2009, 00:26:56

For the last few years, I've only seen an odd crown flowering on my site. This year, most seem to be flowering (except mine, so far!). Thing that surprises me is that we've had the kind of winter that is supposed to be good for rhubarb. Maybe the plants don't try to reproduce until they've had the 'ideal' chill period? Reading one of the garden mags this week talking about the effect of climate change on various things we grow and rhubarb will be one of the crops at risk in the south of the country because of the absence of a chill period.

that would be a very explainable reason why there are no old crowns scattered around my looty on unused plots. thank you

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #18 on:** April 16, 2009, 09:38:19 »

Mine always flowers like mad, but it's old clumps, and apart from the two that drowned, they're really strong.

hopalong · « **Reply #19 on:** April 16, 2009, 13:53:58 »

There's a lot of rhubarb flowering all over our site. This is definitely unusual.

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Author Topic: Rhubarb going to seed... (Read 29012 times)