Rhubard info wanted

[Welshie]

Hi Everyone,

Am planning to plant 3 rhubarb rowns in Nov/Dec which I have bought from my local GC and are supposedly one year old.

All the books I read say that in their 1st year you shouldn't pull the stems.

So my 2 questions are:
1. As these are 1st year crowns, come spring next year can I pull the stems or not?
2. If I can't pull them what do I do with them? Should I just leave the stems to rot, or what?

Any suggestions/advice would be welcome.

Welshie

[nick the grief]

I alway's assume that what they mean is the 1st year of planting as they are establishing their root system & may have had a check in growth.

As to what to do next year, just let them grow, remove any flowers as this will sap the energy of the plant & when the leaves start to die back strim them up so it's neat & tidy & give it a big dollop of well rotted muck.

The year after you can take a crop of them but not too much or you weaken the plants & they'll succumb to disease (bit like you when your'e run down)

[Welshie]

Thanks for the info - much appreciated.

Welshie