Cutting back rhubarb

[Muriel]

I have never grown rhubarb before, but I have got loads on my allotment.

My question is, it is starting to die back now, so do i need to cut it back or do I leave it to rot down on its own.

Also, I need to move some of the crowns so I can get to my strawberries easier, will I need to leave it for two years like you would if you planted one from the garden centre.

Many Thanks

Muriel

[roitelet]

Leaves the Rhubarb alone Muriel, the leaves will help to build up the crown for next year. Rhubarb should be pulled not cut. Give it plenty of water and lots of well rotted dung.

Move the crowns in the winter and then don't pull anything for the first year. If you have surplus crowns that no one wants put them in a bucket with a bit of compost in a shed and cover them with an up turned dustbin and you will get some really early forced pale pink Rhubarb. The crowns won't be worth keeping afterwards so can be composted.

I always have 3 crowns on the go so that each year I can force one in the ground and then leave it alone for the rest of the year and then the next year force another one. That way each crown only gets forced once in three years.

Best of luck

[Flummery]

I always let the leaves die back on their own. However, it has been said before that I'm a messy gardener!

[Jardiniere]

Supplementary question.....
I've grown three beautiful plants from seed ....should i not be using any of it this year or just not all of it?Or does the dont pull any first year only apply to transported crowns?
I have pulled a few stems from each plant because it seemed such a waste not too!

[Kristen]

I'd take a view based on how big and vigorous the plants are, but I would lean heavily towards allowing the plant to bulk up, so it produces more next year.

I've got some flowers on this year's Globe Artichoke plants. Not sure whether to cut them off, or eat them. The plants are pretty weedy (compared to what I am expecting next year). And the flowers are not that big either, so may not make great eating.

Decisions, Decisions !!

[Geordie]

You can always cut a few of the rhubarb leaves and mulch them around the plants. Nothing seems to grow through this mulch, must be the toxins in the leaves I guess but it will save you a little weeding.

[Nicos]

We tend to leave ours to rot down and remove some of the slimy leaves and stems as they droop onto the soil.
Leaving piles of leaves around the plant also helps you find them again next spring - so you don't end up hoeing off the top of the growing bud !
( hmmm...learn from my mistakes eh!!)

[burnie]

I'd take a view based on how big and vigorous the plants are, but I would lean heavily towards allowing the plant to bulk up, so it produces more next year.

I've got some flowers on this year's Globe Artichoke plants. Not sure whether to cut them off, or eat them. The plants are pretty weedy (compared to what I am expecting next year). And the flowers are not that big either, so may not make great eating.

Decisions, Decisions !!

I used to grow globes for the flowers and was told off by an old gardener,if they go to flower the plant can think it's done it's job and start to die aparently.

[Sheepish]

I was just about to post my first query, but fortunately this has already answered one of my questions (that rhubarb plants can be left to their own devices to rot down after harvest). The rest of the question...

This year I have inherited the care of my late father's rhubarb patch. We had a good few pies out of it over the spring and into summer. I had read that it shouldn't be harvested after July, and that at least 4 stalks should be left on each plant, so after a general picking blitz and freezing session I have left it alone for the past few weeks. What's left is still growing strongly.

It's a long time since the patch was thinned and it's very overcrowded, so I'll need to split and remove quite a few of the crowns in the autumn, and may well allocate half of the space to other crops altogether (at it stands it's producing rather more than my mum and I can cope with). Is there any reason I shouldn't harvest the stalks now from the plants that will be taken out later?

Thanks.

[Geordie]

Hi Sheepish....if you dont plan to keep some of the crowns then harvest away on these crowns as you wont need them to develop next year.

[Nicos]

Sheepish - Or......you could leave them for now and force the ones you intend to remove next spring.( If you force the plant and remove all the growth it'd die anyway)
That way you'll be taking a more tender,sweet crop of rhubarb stems instead of pulling aging rhubarb stems now. Of course that would mean delaying sorting out the patch though.

Either way....welcome to the Vine

[Sheepish]

Sheepish - Or......you could leave them for now and force the ones you intend to remove next spring.

I was thinking of forcing some next year - think that makes my mind up. Thanks.

[Nicos]

It'll also give you a chance to eat up all the rhubarb you've probably stashed away in your freezer ( if you're anything like me!!!)