Could anyone out there talk a bit of rhubarb with me on here?

[Herbsandveg]

Now, all my previous attempts to grow Rhubarb has failed spectacularly, but this year has been different, and I've have the most wonderful return so far from just a single little 'stub' of a root that did nothing to inspire confidence when first planted, but which has produced the most incredible returns in record time. Just last week I cut it almost right down to the ground, only to see it spring back again in less that seven days (ie six) and produce enough more lovely fruit for a couple of generous bowls to go with our ice cream for last night's tea. Just this afternoon, however, my girlfriend's mum said that she thought she'd read somewhere that you had to stop cutting it from around the end of July to enable the roots to replenish themselves for the new season next year. This seems incredibly early to me, but could it actually be true? I'm a bit loathe to stopping eating it as it's producing really tasty, really lovely fruit, and I was hoping to be eating it into the Autumn. Could anyone put us right on this one, please?...

[rustylady]

Yes Herbs. Leave your lovely rhubarb alone now to recover. It will hopefully grow more stalks and leaves that you will allow to die back naturally to feed the root.

In winter you will clear away the dead leaves and mulch it generously, and next year it will reward you bountifully

[veggiechicken]

Most advice says, don't pull any sticks in the plant's first year as it needs time to get its roots down and give you something to look forward to in Year two.A bit of lip-smacking anticipation
So give your little stub a rest, don't want to exhaust it, and next year it will spring forth anew - just yearning for some custard

[Nicos]

As far as I'm aware it shouldn't be picked after the longest day. I've heard other peeps say stop early July- so that's a 2-3 week difference!

In reality you need to look at your plant and see how it looks. As it starts to get to the end of the season you'll notice a change in the stems and leaves. It's to do with the acid moving from the leaves and down the stems.

I'm sure other peeps will have different advice though!!

[Herbsandveg]

Yes Herbs. Leave your lovely rhubarb alone now to recover. It will hopefully grow more stalks and leaves that you will allow to die back naturally to feed the root.

In winter you will clear away the dead leaves and mulch it generously, and next year it will reward you bountifully

Well, I'm very sad that that's not for this season, but I'll adhere to your advice, and look forward to the promised crop next year. Many thanks, as ever, for your advice...

PS I'm teetering on the edge of Nutterdom, having being officially invited to join the Nutters Club by our good friend, Veggie Chicken! I think I'm more honoured by this that had I been offered an MBE (which I'd be obliged to turn down anyway as a card carrying Republican) but you get my drift about the scale of the offer. I'm seriously chuffed, and feel that I've 'arrived' now as a proper Forum member! Yippee, put the kettle on, Mildred!*...More on this later...

*Not my girlfriend's actual name....

[FB.]

As rustylady says: if you keep removing too many leaves the plant will not be able to gather enough sunlight to feed the roots, which will result in the plant going into decline.
I make a point of never taking more than half of my rhubarb's shoots at any one time, to ensure it can continue building more roots to fuel it in future years.
Mine also gets generously fed with either compost or materials which were destined for the compost pile - but not on the crown itself or it may rot.

I've tried a few types of rhubarb over the years, and the most successful was Timperly Early.
Victoria is OK. Red Champagne didn't live long. I forget which others I've tried but they didn't do well.

I also found rhubarb to be a bit fussy on where I planted it - it seemed to prefer a sheltered location (doesn't like the persistent breeze here due to the flat landscape), with partial shade to help prevent the soil drying (climate is low-rainfall here) - and with plenty of raw compost dug into the soil beforehand (soil is not very deep or fertile here).

[Herbsandveg]

As rustylady says: if you keep removing too many leaves the plant will not be able to gather enough sunlight to feed the roots, which will result in the plant going into decline.
I make a point of never taking more than half of my rhubarb's shoots at any one time, to ensure it can continue building more roots to fuel it in future years.
Mine also gets generously fed with either compost or materials which were destined for the compost pile - but not on the crown itself or it may rot.



I've tried a few types of rhubarb over the years, and the most successful was Timperly Early.
Victoria is OK. Red Champagne didn't live long. I forget which others I've tried but they didn't do well.

I also found rhubarb to be a bit fussy on where I planted it - it seemed to prefer a sheltered location (doesn't like the persistent breeze here due to the flat landscape), with partial shade to help prevent the soil drying (climate is low-rainfall here) - and

with plenty of raw compost dug into the soil beforehand (soil is not very deep or fertile here).

Thank you, FB. I think mine is Javelin. Is this an OK'ish one?...

[Herbsandveg]

As far as I'm aware it shouldn't be picked after the longest day. I've heard other peeps say stop early July- so that's a 2-3 week difference!

In reality you need to look at your plant and see how it looks. As it starts to get to the end of the season you'll notice a change in the stems and leaves. It's to do with the acid moving from the leaves and down the stems.

I'm sure other peeps will have different advice though!!

Hello Nicos, and thank you for your reply...

As you'll have see from my replies to other members, I'm not going to plunder any more leaves this year, and will be really nursing the plant from now on in and on into the winter.

Do you - or any other Forumites - have any idea whether it's OK to use Rhubarb leaves for composting, or is there something in them that makes them unsuitable for this?...

[rustylady]

Do you - or any other Forumites - have any idea whether it's OK to use Rhubarb leaves for composting, or is there something in them that makes them unsuitable for this?...

Rhubarb leaves can be added to your compost, no problem.

[Herbsandveg]

Thank you...

Rhubarb leaves can be added to your compost, no problem.

Thank you for your advice on this, Rusty...

[BUFFS]

i pick my last lot at the end of august/start of sept,they get a good few handfuls of chicken pellets and they thrive,and have done for 30+ years,we will pick it all again this week and once more before autumn.it does sit in really good,deep soil,but i have no intention of changing now,if there was a problem,surely it would have shown itself by now,seems to me an awful waste of lovely rhubarb,we pick when the biggest stems are over 2ft long,only finshed last years freezer stored rhubarb the other week and have about 16 large ice cream tubs of this years stored away,safe and sound,last years total was about 43/44 tubs from 13 crowns..

[lottie dolly]

not only compost,put them in a lidded container/water barrel,makes a nice tea for the plants,and the bugs are not keen on it,

[Herbsandveg]

i pick my last lot at the end of august/start of sept,they get a good few handfuls of chicken pellets and they thrive,and have done for 30+ years,we will pick it all again this week and once more before autumn.it does sit in really good,deep soil,but i have no intention of changing now,if there was a problem,surely it would have shown itself by now,seems to me an awful waste of lovely rhubarb,we pick when the biggest stems are over 2ft long,only finshed last years freezer stored rhubarb the other week and have about 16 large ice cream tubs of this years stored away,safe and sound,last years total was about 43/44 tubs from 13 crowns..

Oh blinky neck! I'm just a tad confused now...Do I follow the orthodox line or do I go left field? Time for a cup of tea, methinks...and then another one...

[Herbsandveg]

not only compost,put them in a lidded container/water barrel,makes a nice tea for the plants,and the bugs are not keen on it,

Y'see, I haven't dared use my Nettle tea yet, so I'm fearing this might suffer the same fate if I try it...Hmmm, decisions, decisions!...

[lottie dolly]

it defenately has odour ,the best brew i did for all round effect was,put it all in the same barrel,nettles,comfrey,rhubarb leaves,horse tail,plus any bits of garlic not suitable for kitchen use,it keeps fine over winter to,but a lid is a must have,