Topic: whats up with my rhubarb

[brownowl23]

I was given a couple of rhubarb crown about 4 yeras ago now. for the first  couple of years we got inch thick long stems from both crowns.
Then the past two years theyve been about a quarter of that thick ness. Ive tried putting grownore on them last year  to fertilise them but what else am I doing wrong???

[Jeannine]

Are you picking them for too long, after June I think you are supposed to stop so the tubers can pull goodness into the plant, if you over picked last year they may not have had enough to draw from.

XX Jeannine

[brownowl23]

dont think we over picked lalst year but may have done before so will let it die off this year and see what happens

[antipodes]

I found that the stems this year were plentiful but a bit skinny. I ate some regardless  ;D  Did yours flower a lot? Mine did, I pulled off the flowers but then found that they grew stalks from the flower stem???
All in all, I feel the rhubarb has been a bit psycho this year, hopefully next year it will pull itself together!

[blackcountrysteve]

mine ran to seed this year too

plenty of rotted manure brownowl could be helpful aswell for next year
maybe even try splitting the crown in the autumn

tee gee or one of the experts will set you straight when they see this

[goodlife]

Do you tidy your plant for the winter?..I let mine just die off with plenty of leaves still attached ..and when dead I just rake all around crown and leave it to be..
Rhubarb don't like being picked too many stems at the time..you always have to leave plenty..and often people by mistake cut all off without letting them naturally to die for the winter.

[goodlife]

..and I find that feeding the plants when they are 'on leaf' don't seem to work as well as feeding before the leaf break..
..so late winter..early spring  while soil is still moist I give them plenty of chicken pellets and the rain will wash it down..when plants have leaf cover on the soil is often dried out and it is very difficult to flush anything down to roots anymore.
With that one feed and all other stuff that gets piled on..(old compost etc.) mine are almost obese ..within rhubarb world..

[BarriedaleNick]

It seems to have been an odd year for rhubarb..
Most on our site throw up countless flower heads and have done very little even when they were chopped off.
I agree with goodlife - I dont feed mine as such just in the growing season - I just pile on the organic material once it has died off.
I have heard the old idea of not picking after June 21st but I dont know if there is much to that..
Dont forget that often the slimmer stems are more tasty and less woody..

[Robert_Brenchley]

Give them lots of grass cuttings or something that'll build up the soil - not just chemicals - and see what they're like next year.

[Spudbash]

I've just posted this link on another thread, but it's got a word on thin rhubarb stems that you might also find useful, brownowl.

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=544

 :)

Not sure I've successfully created a hyperlink for you...my turn to go hunting for how-to, now!  ;D

[antipodes]

Ah interesting! It is true that the older crown has thinner stems than the other one, Looks like in November I will have to get the spade out and divide it up. But how am I gonna find room for all these??? Think I might have to get rid of the lemon balm and put rhubarb in its place!!!

[brownowl23]

ahh thanks for that spudbash loks like its got the spade heading its way in November then. As Antipodes says where to put them one split up. GUess a couple are heading the alotments way.

[Spudbash]

Yes, mine have the spade hanging over their heads, too.  ;D