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Rhubarb

My rhubarb has been superb this year. It has produced huge flowers which I have removed. Some stalks are very thick. Should I  chop everything back now or let it die down naturally ?

Posts

  • figratfigrat Posts: 1,619

    Let it die down naturally, and don't over crop.

  • I moved long standing very huge rhubarb to different location last year.  They are growing but very spindly.  I did put buckets over to force growth.  Is it just that they are a later growing variety?

  • figratfigrat Posts: 1,619

    Using buckets or similar light excluding techniques on rhubarb is to force early growth of tender stems, which are spindlier than those on a plant left to grow in the light. It is my understanding that forcing does exhaust the plant ( I suppose it can't photosynthesise so well in the dark) and shouldn't be used on the same plant the following year.

  • Thanks, I will try dividing up biggest clumps in the autumn.

  • LeggiLeggi Posts: 489

    Rhubarb is normally left to die back naturally so that the energy used to create the stems goes back down in to the crown for next years plant. I had one that I divided up in to 5 or 6 new plants this year (really easy just use a sharp spade in spring to chop the plant in to new sections after digging it up). I probably won't be taking any stems from them this year though giving all the new barbs a chance to establish.

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