Rhubarb quandary

herbaceous

I have not been at my house much over the last year and so quite a few edibles fell by the wayside including the rhubarb.  I have never been in the position where I have loads of stems in January.

My neighbour tells me some are going over but most are not dying down and has offered to jump the fence if something needs to be done.

Do I get her to remove all stems? Remove the manky ones and leave the rest? I just don't know what to do for the best.

Dovefromabove

I would remove the manky ones … leave the rest to die down, and then remove them as they die, and spread some manure or compost around the root area as a mulch. 

Mine is starting to grow new shoots already and I’m going to cover it over with straw and put an upturned tub over it to keep the frost at bay and encourage an early crop. 

herbaceous

OK @Dovefromabove that sounds like a plan, except for the tub as it seems it may be May before I can go back home. Thank you for your help.

Might see if my neighbour will mulch them for me but thinking I will have to put the bite on my son-in-law. Neighbour doesn't like rhubarb (what!) so have to find another inducement to keep her pulling off the spent stems.

Dovefromabove

Well don’t worry about the tub then … you don’t want an early crop in Feb or March if you’re not there. Left alone it should present you with a crop in May 😋 

I wouldn’t worry too much about pulling off the spent leaves either … they’ll have rotted away by May … and just mulch when you get there … and again in the autumn if you can. 

herbaceous

Thank you again @Dovefromabove I might offer her a lemon or two for her G&T anyway   

By May I should be able to do a bit of mulching especially if I have rhubarb and custard to look forward to.