rhubarb dead?

[gan heather]

My rhubarb hasn't done so well this year - there wasn't enough rain early on and I didn't water it enough during the Spring dry spell. It died back completely and now I'm wondering whether or not it will appear again next year? Should I be thinking about planting new crowns in the Spring?

[Shadylane]

Not sure, some of mine did the same. Some came back with a vengence. I hear it's very hard to kill though, so fingers crossed.

[arpoet]

Many down the lotties have complained that its been a rubbish year for rhubarb. I had some old crowns gifted me last year so split them and planted them with lots of hosmuck into a part of my lottie that seems unproductive, then dug up and split my old crown and put them into the new place.
I have not pulled any at all this year and most seem to be getting well established with huge leaves. I will let these die back too feed the plants for next year.
Roger

[Aberdeenplotter]

Rhubarb is remarkably resilient and it should be ok. Having said that, don't spray round up near it. Seems to be one of the plants that dies if it absorbs the chemicals from the soil.

[Jeanied]

Oh that solves a mystery for me AP. I had a patch of rhubarb when I took over my plot and I know someone 'helpful' decided to spray nearby - this was before I went chemical free- and the whole lot just sickened and died. I thought it was me ...

[Aberdeenplotter]

Glad to have been able to help. I killed a customers despite being very careful not to spray the foliage. hard lesson but useful to know for the future. Customer was very understanding

[gan heather]

I was mistaken...I cut the grass in my rhubarb area and there were some new stalks - very small, but it's definitely not dead. So hopefully next year it will return just fine (and I'll make more of an effort to water it!).

[Snadger]

Next door neighbour sprayed his plot with God knows what..............result, his plots like a desert and I've lost my rhubarb! Grrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!