[Neil Doncaster]

Hello all,
Can I harvest rhubarb all year round or is it between certain months of the year the plant I have got is growing at a fair rate of knots Advice please.

[flitwickone]

to a certain point you can however at this time of year leave the plant alone so that it will feed itself for winter and give it a dollop of manure

[DD.]

First good frost, it'll be curtains, then that's it until spring.

At this time of year it can contain an excess of oxalyic acid.

[Neil Doncaster]

 cheers many thanks gang

[operabunny]

Rhubarb seems to have had an unusual amount of late growth round my way after being knocked back badly by the dry weather. Some of mine was snapped off in the storms the other week so I ate it - waste not want not! It wasn't acidic and was a lovely red colour like it usually is at height of spring growth.

[Scoobydoo]

Hello there.  Just joined up to seek advice on caring for my new rhubarb plants.  I grew them from seed and have harvested for the first time this year.  I have done very well and would like to give them a rest now, but wonder whether I should cut/twist off any remaining rhubarb stalks (each plant has plenty!), or just cut off the leaves and leave the stalks to die back.  I'm worried that if I put a load of manure on top of all the remaining growth it will encourage mould and other nasties getting into the crowns.  I live on a hill which is quite exposed to wind and rain and want to protect 'my babies' over the autumn/winter months.   Any advice would be most welcome.

[sarajane]

Hi  At this time of year I just leave the plant to die back naturally and give it a dollop of manure.  Rhubarb seems to be one of the ones that do not suffer from the 'nasties' but it does need a good rest so it can supply you with lots more next spring.

[radiohead]

Once mine have died back I clear any debris and then pile round lots of well rotted stable manure,not directly on the crowns though.....around late jan I chuck a thick layer of straw over them which is a simple way of light 'forcing'.....I find if you straw them too early it just turns into a pile of mush by early spring.

[Salmo]

Once the rhubarb has stopped producing new shoots, usually July, the old stems build up oxalic acid which can cause digestive problems.

The season is from April to June, depending on variety.

[Kieronl]

In the last month ours have been very busy with new growth.

[Scoobydoo]

Thanks for all the good advice.  I'll just love 'em and leave 'em for the time being and give them a dollop of manure when the leaves and stalks have died back a bit more.  Thanks for the straw tip too.  This year I didn't get any of the nice pink slim sticks that you usually see in the shops, more a light green speckled with red.  I'll try the straw early next year.
Cheers.