rhubarb

[reddyreddy]

what should I be doing with my enormous rhubarb plants, they are wilted and at the end - should I remove the old leaves or leave them on. They are 2 years old but were moved this spring so I've not eaten any in order to give them time to recover - hoping for a bumber crop next year!

[reddyreddy]

[Stevens706]

Last year I left them until they completely collapsed then removed them

[grawrc]

And once you do remove the dead stalks give the rhubarb a good mulch of manure, round but not over the crowns.

[Psi (Pronounced 'Si'!)]

last year I heavily manured them and they have done well, although they are long-established.  I read some people wait until they are dormant in winter, lift them and leave them forthe frosts to get at them.  Never tried it myself - has anyone else?  I'm thinking of manuring again in the winter.

Psi

[grawrc]

I read some people wait until they are dormant in winter, lift them and leave them forthe frosts to get at them.  Never tried it myself - has anyone else? 

Psi

i think you would only do this if you wanted to force the rhubarb.

[Squash64]

Once the stems collapse I pull them off and compost them.  I find that if they are left on they go slimey.

I give the plants a good heap of manure/straw before the winter.

I don't lift them and let the frost get to them - they are massive enough without me giving myself any more backache than I've got already!