Topic: Rhubarb Flowering & with Green Stems?

[sandringham]

Hello from Norfolk,

I moved a Rhubarb root last Autumn and it seamed to recover OK but now it is flowering like mad and the stems are all very Green with no hint of Red at all.  At the same time as moving the big plant I also planted some bits of broken root (from the mother plant) and these have produced two lovely little new plants with lovely Red stems.

My questions are:

Should I leave the big plant to flower or get rid of the flowers? Or should I bin it?

Should I harvest/eat Green stems? Will they turn Red in time?

Should I leave the new baby plants alone for a year to develop?

Thanks for any advice.

Sandringham

[Uncle Joshua]

I'd keep cutting the "mother plant" back until the end of the season and it should be ok next year.

[saddad]

Leave the babies to grow on, cut the flowers off the mother plant. The green stems are edible but I doubt they will turn redder on or off the plant...  :)

[tonybloke]

the stems are green 'cos thet are getting a lot of light. cut off all of the flowering stems, and mulch the plant with Farm Yard Manure, after soaking the plant and surrounding soil.
Rgds, T ;)ony,
(also in norfolk)

[sandringham]

Thanks all.

Cooking some of the Green stems later from the mother plant so will see how they turn out for eating. Freezing East wind here, so I'll need some Porridge and hot fruit to warm me up.

Sandringham

[Robert_Brenchley]

I eat loads of green stems (I've just been preparing a load) and my kidnesy haven't objected yet!