Thin rhubarb - any ideas

Hmm while you're (we're )waiting for an answer from someone with more experience, two possible reasons come to mind, either they are newly planted offsets/cuttings or the crown is so old and manky that is has only weak shoots, either because it's nearly dead or because it's got more shoots than it can develop properly. A poke around them should reveal how big they are without doing much harm.

Mine were tine last year,i just put it down to a bad year for rhubarb.
I did give it a good manure in the winter and have clean up a bit in that area

Did you leave enough of the leaves for it to recharge its batteries and be able to come good again this year? If you cut most of them off it might be feeling a bit weak this year.

It's generally recommended that rhubarb picking stop at the end of June so that the plants can recover and nourish themselves for the next season. It's tempting to keep picking but it does the plant no good.
Overall it sounds like a good idea if you dig up the clumps, check for any root damage (there will be some crown rot in places where it's oldest), divide the crowns if they seem huge, and really clean out and feed the new potting holes. Lots of manure, a handful of bonemeal and a good watering - and no picking at all this year. Next year you should be fine to start picking again but only until the end of June.

Cheers guys

Looks like I need to check for crown rot and depending on condition either split or replace - yet another job for the other half I cannot dig at the mo - baby due in 7 weeks - rather too fat and worn out for too much hard work - yes I hear you any excuse!!

cheers

willnbirdie