[cabte]

How long does rhubarb have to in in the ground for before you can harvest from it.
On the card that came rhubarb we planted it stated leave 2 years before harvest,
But other people on the allotment have been harvesting theres already and this is the first year for the allotment.
So i picked some,,
I want to make sure is ripe before i make a pie,
does the hole stem have to be red/pink  as some of mine are red at the bottom then turn grean at the top,
is this ripe if not will it do any harm ?

[DD.]

It is usually recommended not to harvest at this time of year as it can contain an excess of oxalic acid.

Up to you if you want to risk a dicky tummy!

[Trillium]

Some folk just can't wait to have rhubarb and pick them when the plant is still too young and struggling to set roots. If you have patience, leave it the full 2 years and you'll be rewarded with good crops while your neighbours get sparse cropping for a few years yet.
Normally rhubarb is picked in spring from the time it grows large enough to roughly about the beginning of July when it needs to be left to recover for the next year.

[cabte]

Cheers for the info, will leave the rest alone then,
can you trim it back as its getting realy realy realy big,, i got two plants and its around 2m,

[Yorkie]

I wouldn't trim it back - by doing so, you reduce the leaf area and thus the means by which the plant is building up the crown beneath the ground.  It will die off when it's ready to do so.

[cabte]

Thank you for the help

[Trillium]

The rhubarb will stay very big in maturity so if you have other valuable plants close by, it's better if you move those and let the rhubarb have it's space as it will take it anyway. Don't try to move the rhubarb as the roots will already be deep down and any bit you miss will simply turn into more plants on that spot.

[Kristen]

I stop harvesting mine "on the longest day" ... its normally looking pretty knackered by then from all the harvesting it has survived!