Rhubarb Problem

[darloboy]

Hi

I have returned from a week in the sun to some issues with a rhubarb plant.

It was nice and healthy when I went away, however when I have come back 1 or 2 of the stalks are dead, and a couple are also soft and wilting. Some more are fine at the moment. I have included a picture so you can see what I mean.

I am in the North East of England, I believe we had some sunshine and heavy winds while I was away, not sure if this is of relevance.

It is a Timperley Early planted around 6 weeks ago. There is another one next to it, which looks like it has one small stalk brown and wilted, but about an inch long only, and the rest of the plant looks healthy.

Does anyone have any ideas what might have gone wrong and what I can do to help it?!

Thanks in advance

[rustylady]

They look fine to me, with new leaves coming. It's natural for the old outer leaves to die off.

[Nicos]

As RL says- the older leaves will die off
BUT- I can't actually see the crown on that one- but I think I can on the one next to it.
Maybe you could take a bit of the soil away from the crown so it can 'breathe' ?

[VirginVegGrower]

I believe the rhubarb plants are suffering from a lack of water - sun, no rain following drying cold arctic winds - which is showing up in wilting dying stems and flowering stalks. I would stick your finger into your soil and see if you have enough moisture deep down. It's affecting a lot of people at the moment, on my plot especially. Just pull those stalks off and compost them. Pray for a bit of rain

[bearded bloke]

Mine looks just like that pic,I put it down to the weight of snow (we had a few weeks back) folding the stalk over too far but paid it little heed as the new growth looks fine & healthy

[Nicos]

Ha!...well- that's 4 different views!!! ...all very valid- all worth considering!

[BUFFS]

they look too deep to me,scrape some soil away ,as has been said,and they only look young plants,so they wont be as robust as their elders,having done that,leave them alone to get on with it...

[binley100]

My rhubarb is fine but growing slow, whereas my mates has huge stalks . The secret .....she's fed hers with tomato feed. Give it a water , give it a feed .......

[darloboy]

Thanks all, given them a bit of a feed but cleared some space around the root also, hoping they will pull through and be good to me for many years to come!

Thanks for all the replies, it's appreciated