Just to add to the mystery of flowering rhubarb, I grew mine from seed. It stated on the packet it was a free flowering variety and I had to cut off the flower stalks each year. It always tries to flower, took the first ones off on Monday. The warning does suggest though that some varieties are prone to it, while others are not normally. I remember my Dad grew rhubarb for years and I never saw it flower ever.
I would let it die down then replant in fresh compost (two thirds John Innes No3 loambased and one third multipurpose compost. Then add some well rotted manure to the soil surface around the crown and cover with dry straw.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I planted four rhubarb crowns, two each of two varieties, from the same grower. One persistently flowered, the other three never. There were all in the same bed, sharing the same conditions. I dug out the fecund one and Freecycled it.
As with my strawberries, my rhubarb has been completely neglected for about 10-12 years (apart from harvesting). No feeding, no mulching, nothing! It has spread a little but never flowered. This autumn it is getting dug up, split and replanted in a new, prepared border. If I buy any strawberries or rhubarb next summer, I'll be disappointed.
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.