What does your rhubarb plant look like now?

Ilikeplants

Wondering if I’m meant to pull out all the tatty leaves and tidy it up. I haven’t touched it for over a month now and it’s looking messy. Thanks

Silver surfer

Yes do remove any dead or yellow leaves.

Ilikeplants

Thanks. So I just leave any green upright stems now until they wilt too? Just tidy it up?

Dovefromabove

Yes ... leave them and as they wilt and turn yellow the nutrients from the leaves is passing back down the stems into the crown and feeding it so that it's got lots to store and produce plenty next year.  Don't remove them until they're yellow and dead. 

Ilikeplants

Ok thanks, I don’t think I’ve divided this patch for a while. Could I eat some of the green sticks still?

Dovefromabove

Some would ... but I wouldn't ... I find that at this time of the season the rhubarb is very acidic and not as tasty.  It's also needed to build up the crown.  

If your're going to divide the crown do that after the leaves have all died down ... but remember you then can't harvest any rhubarb in 2022 and only lightly in 2023.

Mine is 10 years old ... I've not divided it yet.  It continues to crop well and doesn't produce flower spikes ... I mulch with manure in the autumn and feed with FB&B in early spring, and make sure the soil never dries out below the surface. 

Igrowfromseed

Ours is still looking good. Well watered and next to compost heap

bertrand-mabel

Ours are brilliant. No dying off with leaves huge and stalks about 3 feet long and over an inch thick. Took a long time to get going due to the adverse weather earlier.

WeaveyDavey

I've just now 'inherited' a couple of rhubarb stools from a neighbour who's about to move house into a flat (upstairs!). What treatment would be best at this time of year...? *[Currently wrapped in polythene sack & placed in shade].

Ilikeplants

Interesting, 10 years and not divided. I’ll leave mine then buts possible mine is about that age now and never divided either. It does throw up flowers shoots though.

Silver surfer

Ilikeplants said:

Interesting, 10 years and not divided. I’ll leave mine then buts possible mine is about that age now and never divided either. It does throw up flowers shoots though.

Not a good idea to let it flower.
It does that when stressed.
Suggest you sink 3  x plastic drain pipes, approx 0.5 m deep,  beside your clump.
Water daily when growing by pouring a full watering can of water down the tubes.
Water gets to the roots where it is needed.
Result...healthy Rhubarb....No flowers.