[Alan lad]

When I eventually hacked my way in to my VERY over grown lotty I found a small patch of rhubarb, looks to be 3 plants, all the leafs are withered away, what shall I do with the plants for the winter? Also got 2 nice rows of raspberry plants that were planted by the previous owner, looks like the fruit has fed the local birds well over the summer! Do these need cutting back too?

[flitwickone]

yes cut those canes back as for the rhubarb wait untill we have a good frost and move it where you want to put it in a hole with plenty of manure and bobs your uncle

[Alan lad]

Do I cut them back hard, ie leave them cut very close to the ground or leave some?

[Yorkie]

The leaves will wither and die all on their own, no need to hasten the process.

[Babstreefern]

With rhubarb, you don't do anything with it, it dies back itself.  Mine's disappeared for the winter now, whereas, I got a few stalks off it only a month ago.  I would treat raspberries like I would do to my blackberries, is that when the leaves have dropped, say in November, cut it back (depending on how large your canes are).  Chop off the dead wood and generally tidy it up ready for next year, and of course, feed with plenty of bfb, manure and any other fertiliser