Rhubarb running to seed!!
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/tgalmanac/May%202010/P1120702.jpg)
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/tgalmanac/May%202010/P1120704.jpg)
The first picture is from my patch and the second from a neighbouring patch.
I think I have only seen it happen once in the twenty odd years I have been on the plot.
Its not just me everyone else seems to be suffering the same ???
Could it be down to having a 'winter' this year i.e. cold.
Like cold splits garlic, has the cold spell awakened rhubarbs reproductive system ??? ::)
My rhubarb is doing the same. I've taken about eight flower heads off so far.
same with mine
Sorry to hijack your thread TeeGee but has anyone grown rhubarb from seed? My friend in Portugal would love to grow it but can't find any crowns to buy.
it's down to a lack of water!!
It's something that I've never seen before!
It certainly worried some people until they were told that all they need do was to take the flower stem off.
On my allotment a fair few ppl had flowers last year. Ive had 3 flowers on 1 crown so far. Would love 2 have a bash @ growing it from seed but apparently it is a rite pain in the ass! So i just chopped off the flowers.
I second Tony's response. Due to lack of rain my rhubarb wasn't doing very well at all till I started giving it a good watering every couple of days. Now I'm harvesting good strong stalks.
Tricia
ive got 4 crowns and 2 of them had stems that ran to seed . cut them off and the plant sprouted lots more stems.
reading this im glad im not the only one !!
I grew rhubarb from seed last year and now have 3 large patches, I found it very easy to grow. :)
Because its young I have only taken a few stalks this year will be able to harvest freely next year. It also has tried to put out flowers which I choped off. My lottie neighbour's rhubarb is also flowering.
Mine's the same- just keep taking the heads off. It was the same last year :
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,50678.0.html (http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,50678.0.html)
I always get lots of flower heads on mine. Lack of rain won't be worrying them with the high water table on the plot.
Here to theres lots of rhubarb in flower.
I noticed one of my neigbours has the red ornamental rhubarb looking gorgeous at the moment.
I want one for the garden! looks fab.
x sunloving
yes even here in France, same thing. However I noticed that it also produces stalks up the flower stem! So I can harvest enough regardless.
Quoteit's down to a lack of water!!
Yep! I will go along with that Tony, I can associate with the reasoning!
Like most things on my plot I never water although it does have a 3" layer of mulch (shreddings) on it!
It hasn't stopped me harvesting a good crop of 2ft + stems this morning!
Mine flowered last year and is doing it again. I have cut off the flowers. It seems to have grown very tall this year and is about four feet tall and stems are huge but still good to eat.
Quote from: grannyjanny on May 24, 2010, 20:18:51
Sorry to hijack your thread TeeGee but has anyone grown rhubarb from seed? My friend in Portugal would love to grow it but can't find any crowns to buy.
I might have some seed left if you need some?