Rhubarb

[shirlton]

When are you supposed to stop picking rhubarb and why?

[shirlton]

[manicscousers]

we stopped begining of July, Shirl, mainly 'cos we were running out of room in the freezers, I think it's supposed to strengthen the plant or summat  ;D

[Digeroo]

I thought the idea was to build up the root so it produces well next year.  Some people seem to take most of the leaves and then leave it.   I tend to take a few stems at a time and occasiionally take a few later in the year if I fancy some.

Apart from one plant it has never grown well in the garden but is on a take over bid of the allotment.  It is supposed to like shady areas but the only ones doing well are in full sun.

[antipodes]

Yes I think it needs to take back strength from the plant for its hibernation. I picked a lot of lovely stems the other day! But they will be the last (I made rhubarb and peach crumble, lovely!)

[shirlton]

Right the tomorrow is rhubarb day ;D

[grawrc]

I think too that the level of oxalic acid (the poisonous stuff in the leaves) builds up as the year goes on so it isn't so good to eat. I stop picking it at the beginning of July too.

[carosanto]

Hi All

Im a bit late to this Rhubarb post, but need some advice too.  I planted a  well-leafed plant some time back in the Spring.  I haven't touched it since, except to give it the necessary tlc, and the warm wet weather we've had in the Wild West has done its best too.

It has really thrived (thriven??) and has produced some lovely stalks.  Should I leave all these on and not touch the plant till next year?  Seems a shame.

Another question, it has grown so well I will have to move it - when should I do this please?

Regards, Caro

[shirlton]

I don't think its wise to take any off this year as its a new plant. Next year will be ok

[Digeroo]

Are you really sure you need to move the rhubarb?  They are not keen on being moved.  They have very long roots.   It really means that in order to let it recover you will need to leave it another year before cropping from it. 

[Jeannine]

Mmm, Didge, we moved our rhubarb like I move the furniture and it seemed to bounce back all the time, maybe I was just lucky. I moved some a few times as we got the raised beds in.It became a joke on our lottie and John used to say she is always making me dig the rhubarb up. We finally ended up with it all across the back of the ploy in a line all 22 feet of it and it always thrived,,we even brought seeds with us from it.

Good job I didn't know about it, I wonder if it is only pertinent to the fairly new ones as our were huge.Scattered all over the two plots and I didn't know where I wanted them at first adn I kept changing my mind.

Sometimes it pays not to know

XX Jeannine

[antipodes]

Oh many people say don't touch it the first year, just like they say take the flowers off strawberries the first year. I did neither and I have had no bother. I think you can take a few of the bigger stalks, but just a few per plant. and that's the lot for this year then. It sounds like it is pleased with its location, it should bounce back fine next year.

[delboy]

The older rhubarb does indeed have more oxalic acid in its stems.

Anyone who suffers from gout will tell you about that!

Of course you could serve it to the inlaws....