[calculad]

I read that I should mulch my rhubarb plants in January.
They are well established productive plants and are already producing shoots.

I know that when mulching other plants, even trees, you should avoid actual contact.
Is rhubarb immune to the damage that a mulch might cause.
I have some lovely home made mature compost to use for the purpose.
C

[Trillium]

Considering how much rain the UK can get, I wouldn't put the mulch right up to the stalks.

I mulch mine both to conserve water and to keep weeds under control.

[calculad]

Thanks Trillium.  Blimey I thought the Brits loved rhubarb.  Was hoping for some more local opinions as well.
C

[Trillium]

I think the big problem with mulching in the UK is slugs and snails adore hiding below and snacking on crops. You might want to put some slug bait down first and then mulch, perhaps with well rotted manure to feed the rhubarb.

[allot2learn]

I use a handful of growmore and then a couple of buckets of manure per plant and they seem to thrive on it although I do dig the crowns up and split them every five years or so.

[noshed]

I bung strawy manure round mine and I've been heaping it up to protect the shoots from the frost. It seems to do the trick for me.

[Annen]

I do nothing to mine and it seems to do the trick too!

[SkyeEnt]

I did manage once to kill a rhubarb crown by putting too much manure right on it.  It was well rotted, but I was also doing landscaping around the plants and I think they ended up in the middle of a funnel shape of soil and drowned It was a good plant beforehand.  I think a light mulch right over the top would be OK normally.  The rhubabrb just pushes through.