Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Penny Finn on May 21, 2018, 17:11

Title: Sickły rhubarb
Post by: Penny Finn on May 21, 2018, 17:11
My rhubarb has always produced a fantastic crop.  This year however a lot of the stalks are really thin and weedy and I have only been able to use a fraction of the plants. I have three crowns growing together.  I'd be grateful for advice.  Should I just cut the scrawny stalks back to the crown?   (I couldn't pull then as I normally would they are too limp!)
Penny x
Title: Re: Sickły rhubarb
Post by: Pescador on May 21, 2018, 20:29
Sounds like they're too dry. This weather has been so up and down it must be stressing the plants like mad.
I had a similar problem last year were the  early growth suddenly keeled over, but a really good soaking got them back up and running in a couple of days.
If they're looking thinner than normal, soak them first then a couple of days later give a liquid feed, at least 5 litres per plant, something like Miraclegrow
Title: Re: Sickły rhubarb
Post by: Plot 1 Problems on May 21, 2018, 22:44
Same happened to me last year,  as Pescador says, give them a mega drenching around the crowns and then give them a really good feed. I was taught that after they go dormant in the winter, give the ground around them a good sprinkling of manure pellets and a good mulch with some well rotted compost which will give them a good boost once they start growing again.