Topic: Rhubarb

[Mrs Ava]

Should I cut down or pull up the leaves of my bubby or leave them in situ for the winter to do it's worse?

[aquilegia]

I'm leaving the leaves on until they start the die back or shade other things too much. My theory being that the leaves will help build up food reserves in the crown to make it stronger next year. (Just like not chopping off bulb leaves until they've died back).

Does that make sense?

[Hugh_Jones]

Yes, Aquilegia, it is perfect sense, and when you do finally remove the old leaves pile up manure or compost on top of the plant and have your straw-filled dustbin ready to put on it as soon as the first new shoots appear.

[cleo]

Agreed

Stephan

[Andy H]

Do you force yours every year then???

[Hugh_Jones]

Yes.

[Debs]

Rhubarb novice here...

I pulled off the leaves and stalks of mine at end of August
(Yikes!).  Will this effect their growing ability next season?

My rhubarb is inerited on my plot from previous owner - there are about 5 crowns...
Also,
I am interested in trying the forced technique - this makes for tender, sweet stalks in early Spring?? (Right or wrong??)

If forcing, can the rhubarb then fruit later in the year for June/July harvest??

Please advise.

Debs

[Hugh_Jones]

Debs, you should never pull all the stalks off at the same time in summer - that`s the quickest way to exhaust the plant - don`t take more than a half at a time.  In viuew of that I should give forcing a miss for next spring if I were you, and let the plant build up again before picking more selectively next summer.

If you do force every spring, resist the temptation to pick all the stalks and don`t pick again until the plant has built up again in the summer - and then only thinly.

It`s a very good idea to give the plants a good top dressing of bonemeal worked into the surface of the soil before top dressing with manure or compost followed by a scattering of dried blood in the spring.

And don`t forget that the average rhubarb plant is at its best for only 7 years or so, and after 10 years it should be discarded, so if you have several plants start thinking of splitting one up this winter to provide the next generation.

[Debs]

Thanks Hugh,

I was unaware of the 'why's and 'wherefor's of rhubarb growing.

As I don't know how old my plants are, I shall do as you have suggested and divide the clumps.

How much spacing is required between each plant?

I was surprised at how large the leaves grow and equally surprised at the fact that the fruit should be picked by the end of July for reasons mentioned on another thread.

Debs

[Andy H]

The one we inherited on plot last year(plot hasn`t been used for 5 years) should we dig up and replace with new plant or divide it? What does the dividing do? >:(

[Hugh_Jones]

Debs, I didn`t mean split them all up now. I would simply lift and divide one old clump each year until you have enough new young clumps for your purpose, bearing in mind that you should not pull stalks during the first season after dividing.

The clumps should be spaced 3 feet apart to allow for subsequent spread.

Andy, the purpose of dividing rhubarb, as with any herbaceous perennial plant, is to discard the old worn out centre, and start the more vigorous outer roots on their own as separate plants.  In dividing the plants take the shallower smaller black roots from near the surface, and throw away the huge crocodile-like monsters from lower down.  Make sure that each root has a tight round bud at the top end, cut off any long trailing root after about 6 inches, and plant the root upright (bud uppermost).

If you only have one plant it is difficult for me to tell you to divide it now, since neither of us knows just how old it is and you would then have no rhubarb for 18 months.  Why not see if you can acquire a plant to grow on for a year to fill the gap and then split up your old one.

[Andy H]

OK thanks, have new onew planted on 2nd plot so not too worried about the one on 1st plot,
Thanks for help.

[Hugh_Jones]

Perhaps at this point I should mention that according to Professor Edzard Ernst (Professor of complementary medecine at the Peninsular Medical School, Exeter & Plymouth) excessive consumption of rhubarb can cause :-
Anaphylaxis
Diarrhoes
Heart arythmias
Depletion of Potassium and other electrolytes
As well as bone loss and muscle weakness

So don`t go too mad on it.

[Wicker]

Hugh, wish I had read all this about rhubarb before.  Years ago we inherited rhubarb on our plot which seemed pretty old so dumped the lot and bought new plants - rhubarbless following year.  After quite a number of years we dumped that lot and bought new again - another rhubarbless year.  Now this is a new lot we have again so virtually had none this year.  Point is I didn't realise you could divide the some of old crowns - just as well this old "dog" can still learn new tricks >:( :(