[mrswashi]

  after visiting AND digging for two hours on the plot today, having not been since before Christmas due to rain and snow, found I have had some pretty little rhubarb leaves poke their way through. Am I supposed to do anything with them? Novice to all of this, only gained allotment in Nov.
Manda

[angelavdavis]

Nice surprise indeed!  If you can get hold of some rotted manure, mulch them well and you will be rewarded later in the year.  Rhubarb is pretty tough stuff as you have discovered.  The little leaves will get a good deal bigger!

[mrswashi]

Thankyou so much! Great help.
Manda

[fatcat1955]

And when they do get much bigger, make a crumble . Or better still stew some and have it with creamed rice.

[Yorkie]

Nice one 

Let them get lots bigger and then pick.  Simples 

[plum crumble]

crumble is good.............very good....

[snowdrops]

All that & if you have more than one clump, put an upturned bucket/dustbin over the top of one clump to force it & you will have lovely sweet stems when they are big enough to pull & a little bit earlier than the others. Then once picked leave it alone the rest of the year to recuperate & don't force that clump again for 3 years. Simples.

[mrswashi]

Lovely!

[compostqueen]

I put a black bin over my emerging rhubarb stems.  The forced stems are absolutely gourmet stuff, so much more sweet, pink and tender than the later stems. I make a rhubarb Eton mess with them