Topic: Rhubarb is poorly

[antipodes]

Help! My rhubarb is not behaving well! It started off brilliantly but now the stems are looking wilted, and have sort of brown stains on them. It is very floppy looking now. We have had two weeks of hot weather, could it be suffering from that? Is there any other sign I should look out for? I have not seen any pests on it.
Thanks for any help you can give me.

[delboy]

Four of us at our allotments have exactly the same problem.

Am looking forward to suggestions as to what can be done.

Manure was put on and we all watered regularly.

It doesn't seem to want to go red, either.

[betula]

Could be crown rot.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Mine's been weak and floppy this year, but it's suffered visibly in all the waterlogging over the last couple of years so I think that's it. Maybe yours wasn't so obvious at the time.

[Borlotti]

I really don't want to be rude, but perhaps you should see the doctor.  ??? ???
On a sensible note my rhubard is not looking too good, put some slug pellets down, have watered it and gave it plenty of Council compost.

[shirlton]

Ours is exactly the same. Started off looking great and then to be honest with you. I thought that someone had been pilfering it. It almost vanished in a few days.

[Fork]

Mine is the same but I do know that its past its best now and normally looks "sickly" this time of year.

I will just leave mine to die back on its own and then give it a good mulching of well rotted manure later  in the year.

[Deb P]

Mine are the same, pretty sure it is lack of water....should look nice for tomorrows open day now then!! ;D

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

actually it's just a slight hangover, but thanks for all your concern  :D

[Robert_Brenchley]

Mine thrived in 2006, so I doubt whether it's lack of water. As I say, mine's suffered from waterlogging the last two years, and it's looked spindly from the start this year.