When to stop picking rhubarb
This is what RHS says
The last harvest is usually in late summer, around July or August, though growth may have stopped before this if the weather is very hot.
I have 3 plants and there are still some 4 healthy sticks on each
? Is it too late to pull them
Everyone is just trying to be Happy.....So lets help Them.
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You should never pick more than one third of the stalks at a time.
I stop picking mine at the end of June and leave it to grow - mine is huge at the moment with 20+ leaves on it - as autumn progresses the leaves and stalks will die down and the goodness from them will pass back into the crown to build up the energy to produce more next spring.
I would not pick yours, I would give them a good mulch of well-rotted farmyard manure and let them die down and rest.
Thanks Dove
Absolutely. Pick from February (or whenever they get going) till the end of June, then let them recover. If they ony have four leaves each, they definitely need them to make food for next year.
If they do very well, it's possible to pick a few stalks in July but they tend to be a bit spongy by then - and you've got all your summer fruit anyway. The value of rhubarb is that it gives you a crop early in the year when there's nothing else for pud!
They love muck, and water too! I planted a new bed last winter next to the compost heap so it gets all the run-off and they've exceeded all expectations.
Oops, I picked some last month, didn't know u shouldnt pick it. It's only a few years old, so its only just at a decent size, just presumed u pick it as its been growing so fast, but it dies down and feeds itself for next year then, now I know. I'll get some manure for mine, it had better grow as fast early next year!