[rowlandwells]

my daughter has a lovely patch of Rhubarb the only problem is it keeps going to seed can anyone tell why this happens?

we have a good crop of Rhubarb down  our allotments with good pickings not a problem with it going  to seed

[goose]

mine is growing well, but throws up flowers when we have a dry period at this time of year...i just cut the flowers off and give it a good water/feed...seems to do the job.

[pepsi100]

I've never had much luck with rhubarb, they get the best treatment, well watered and fed, but they just seem to wither and die
We even tried this forcing thing, a large flower pot over them, took the pot off, they were dead :-(
So I gave up on them

[Subversive_plot]

I'm just learning about rhubarb this year. 

So far, the little roots I bought (pencil to little finger diameter, maybe 5 inches long on average) have produced what I consider huge plants, given the root size; 18 inches across or so.  We haven't hit hot weather though, just up to 27 to 29 C on occasion, mostly lower than that by 10 or more degrees (we had a freeze, 0 degrees C, at night 3 days ago).   

I adjusted our sandy loam soil with additional sand to make a loamy sand, then mixed in lots of compost and about a tablespoon of granular 13-13-13 fertilizer to a 3 gallon nursery pot (temporary measure until I finish making a raised bed for rhubarb).  I top dress with another teaspoon of fertilizer occasionally, before a rain.  I water about every other day unless it has rained recently.  So far, no bolting yet.

[Offwego]

To be honest I find rhubarb as a low maintenance plant
I never water and only give a good dose of horse muck in October and end of February
I have a huge crop every year

[greenjay]

I think some varieties are more prone to sending up flower spikes than others.
I have 3 clumps and the later variety always sends up a spike which I just pull off.

[rowlandwells]

thanks all for your replies much appreciated