[azubah]

After years of growing rhubarb well, it is not looking good this year.
It is poor in the garden, lottie, parents garden, in fact everywhere I look. Has anyone got any good rhubarb just now, or is it just that our area has problems?
I think it must be the weather.

[gazza975526570]

Mines been terrible too - hardly had anything worthwhile

It started well and took some decent amounts but since we had the really dry spell that seems to have done it in - i did throw a good amount over it every time i was leaving the plot

See how it looks next year i guess?

[Bev]

Yeah not good either.

Last year husband decided to tidy up garden by pulling all the leaves off it before it had had a chance to refuel for this year. Also chickens seem to be scratching all the leaves that are low down.

Combined with the dry patch it was not great. Had lovely forced rhubarb early on but rest was a bit thin.

Bev

[DD.]

Mrs Digger's very very early variety was fine, then we got the dry spell - mine was rubbish.

[JohnB47]

Yep, same here - good until the dry weather took hold, then they stopped growing. They're starting to throw up some new shoots now, so I may get some more to eat before the normal end of season.

[gazza975526570]

Yep, same here - good until the dry weather took hold, then they stopped growing. They're starting to throw up some new shoots now, so I may get some more to eat before the normal end of season.

tbh i noticed mine doing this as well today, presume the recent wetter weather has put them in action - when are you meant to pick them till?

[Nikkithefoot]

The crowns I moved a couple of years ago are going great guns, and the one on my plot is good too. I've done nothing to them other than make sure they got a good manuring in the autumn. We had no significant rain until last wwek from March, so I'm pleased and surprised at the same time.

[Lardman]

From 3 crowns I've picked 7 stalks.

Had more flowers stems than leaves, when the wind picked up it shredded everything, they look to just about be recovering. Bit of a none starter this year.

[superluke2]

Very tasty thank you. been a good crop due to the lousy weather!!!

[Spana]

Mine looks  terrible too.  

I've been blaming OH   He did a bit of dock spraying in the fields and I accused him of letting the spray drift.  Perhaps I'd better apologize

[Carollan]

The old stock,been on the allotment for years,must be deep rooted,has been appalling......looks like the pheasants have been frollicking in it,leaves all mangled and smashed down,I suspect its more the windy dry weather,although I have seen the birds sitting on them!
My newly planted rhubarb grown from seed 2 years ago,some have died ,others all bitten and threadbare....some kind of beetle and also mole interference.

The best rhubarb is at home in big pots,in a sheltered position by the garage wall,watered every day. I`m glad I didn`t put all my eggs in one basket! 

[Weston grower]

Mine did well until the dry spell and then wilted. Watered it well a few times and it has come back with avengance.

Regards, WG

[Nige2Plots]

Mine did quite well despite the dry weather. In saying that I did apply a deep layer of manure around the crown which I suppose acted as a mulch!

[RsT]

Both crowns on their second year, one shop brought one freegle, both did very badly!
Got more growth last year than this, that said over the last week or two they are sprouting a few fresh leaves.
Fingers crossed for next year.

[Wombat18]

One plant is doing fantastically well, two others were producing only a few, thin stalks.  I decided that my rhubarb bed was too crowded, and I'm not a big rhubarb eater at the best of times, so I took out the two unproductive plants and kept the one that was flourishing.

The plant is at least five years old and is encroaching on the asparagus bed, so at the end of the year I will probably dig it up, divide the root and move it to the less crowded end of the plot.