covering rhubarb

[Peardrops]

I have my few rhubarb plants in a row, and wondered whether you would recommend covering the new pink shoots just showing with a cloche and black plastic, or clear plastic, or not to cover, and should I cover yet or later?

[andrewo]

You don't have to cover rhubarb unless you're forcing. If this is the case then there has to be no light or limited light so that you get pink shoots. However, the crown will have spent all its energy in this and will no longer be of any use.

Try this:
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles1105/rhubarb.asp

[Peardrops]

Thanks for the advice, I think I will just leave them to soak up the sun

[Nicos]

peeling rhubard

When do you peel rhubarb? I have always thought this had to be done, but a friend has told me that they never do! Does it depend on the thickness of the stem?
Peardrops... hi! have you put some muck around the plants yet? They will grow better with a nice stinky mulch applied now keeps the weeds down too!

[andrewo]

Peel rhubarb? Have never done this, and has effected my use of it. I have heard this peeling of rhubarb before and there is no difference, except you waste some good eating! Yes, time for plenty of manure, I use chicken manure round mine.

[Nicos]

thought chicken manure was supposed to be good for fruit and flowers!!! well it just goes to show!! Don't you have problems with the plant flowering then??? Wont peel this year if others agree- such a waste of the red colouring! Remember as a kid in school all the rhubarb was red and for the past 40yrs+ have eaten home grown green stuff!! Wondered what I was doing wrong!!

[Lesley Jay]

Nicos you only need to peel rhubarb when the sticks are big and fat and when you chop it up the skin is really thick and stringy.

[Jaxom]

If you roast rhubarb in a dish it is rather tasty and also keeps its redness.

[Lesley Jay]

Don't forget there is a difference in colour depending what the variety is.

[nick the grief]

I still prefer it like my gran used to give it to me. Stick of rhubarb & bag of sugar.. Ah the childhood memories and you burnt off the sugar rushing to the loo

[sewer rat]

I have only heard the peeling of rhubarb mentioned in connection with jam-making and personally I am too lazy / impatient to be bothered with this fiddly task and so never have - and no-one has ever criticised my rhubarb and ginger jam. So my advice is don't bother, unless as Lesley says, the stalks are very large and when chopped have a thick stringy skin on them.
Rat

[andrewo]

thought chicken manure was supposed to be good for fruit and flowers!!! well it just goes to show!! Don't you have problems with the plant flowering then??? Wont peel this year if others agree- such a waste of the red colouring! Remember as a kid in school all the rhubarb was red and for the past 40yrs+ have eaten home grown green stuff!! Wondered what I was doing wrong!!

Have only had one crown flower and was told to tear the flower off, one allotmenteer told me to leave it and collect the seed - it didn't seem to effect the production of the plant.