What's gone wrong with my rhubarb?

[Pickle]

What's gone wrong with my rhubarb?
The last two years I've had lovely rhubarb off my plant but I've always been careful not to pull up too much. This year my rhubarb ahs tiny little thin stalks. Unfortunately my chickens ate all of the leaves earlier this year (I was worried it was going to kill them!!! Thankfully they didn't seem any the worse for wear after eating them!) could this be the reason why the stalks are so thin? Or is it because the crowns need to be divided? I don't know how old the crowns are as they were here already when we moved in 2.5years ago. Thank you for your help.

Chloe

[sonsmiley131204]

I dont know the answer to the question, but thought i would reply as mine sounds the same a yours thin stalks and looking like im not going to get any rhubarb this year

[Flummery]

I've had my rhubarb 10 years and haven't divided it so I don't think it's that. Give it a huge helping of manure or home-made compost. A good mulch will feed it up. It's a gross feeder and will repay you for it.

[mrscorpio]

Welcome to my world
As many of you may have read in other threads - I just cant get my rhubarb to grow.

For those who may remember - I planted 50 seeds last month. I am now the proud parent to 35 rhubarb plants. These will be planted in the field next to my house when they are ready.

One day I will get some rhubarb.

[biddy]

Mine are the same, but this year one of them flowered can anyone tell me if this should happen thanks

[Nicos]

Flowering usually happens when the plant is stressed.
This year most of us have had flowers!!..it's been the unusual weather.
Just chop it off

Before this year I used to say that rhubarb is almost impossible to kill off.
For some reason , out of the 6 plants I've brought out from the UK all but one have died..and that one's not doing too well

- I've planted in the different parts of the garden, and at different depths...and yet the 2 plants I gave away to friends have been brilliant

[WrexTheDragon]

It's down to lack of muck.

Try asking a local farmer for some pig or cow slurry, collect it in buckets. A bit late now as you need to cover them with it in October onwards,

[biddy]

thanks for your answer it is a great help

[Pickle]

Thank you all for your replies. I've got planty of other fruit on the go in my garden so will forgo the rhubarb this year but will put some muck down later in the year and hopefully i'll get a good crop next year. Glad this thread helped out several of us too