rhubarb finished?

I have checked in my book and it says you shouldnt remove any stalks after July, which i havent, but do i wait for the leaves to die down before i remove them for composting, it still looks pretty healthy at the moment, are they feeding the roots for next year?

 

Hi Sharon.We always leave our leaves to die back naturaly.
The only leaves we take off are when we harvest the crop,cutting off the leaves and adding them to the compost heap.

In the spring just before growth restarts we put some well rotted compost or muck around the plants and give them a good watering if the weather has been dry,to help the compost get down to the roots.

We never harvest after July so that the plants are not weakened.Any flower heads that show themselves in the spring are taken off along with the stalks they are attached to and also added to the compost heap.

Kandy

 

Thanks Kandy, glad i posted as in my enthusiasm to fill the compost bin i nearly pulled the leaves off. I will just have to wait.

 

The first rubarb pie always welcome and when there is very little else in the garden. My small patch looks after itself most ot the time but as mentioned above some good homemade compost every couple of years will help to keep it strong. This time of year it will be fattening up its underground system so as mentioned above just leave to go back naturally. There a few things you can do to get an early pie, like forcing the plant by covering part of it.

 

rubarb anyone

 

is that rhubarb nicsdad?

 

Yes Fancy, it's a variety known as Monster Cornish garden..... :D

 

If l had feelings i could be hurt