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Rhubarb picking question

LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360
edited April 2021 in Fruit & veg
Does picking rhubarb encourage more growth, or weaken the plant?

I'm always wary of depleting it due to the advice on not cropping in the first year,  not taking more than 1/3-1/2 of stems etc., which I followed assiduously. But now I'm scared to pick any! It has taken its time to establish, probably due to being in a raised bed, but it seems healthy and strong now. I'd like to pick some but don't want to set it back if leaving it for a while would be better.
'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
- Cicero

Posts

  • Bright starBright star Posts: 1,153
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/vegetables/rhubarb

    @LG_ I just read this on the RHS website, hopefully it will answer your question.
    Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.

  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    How old is the crown,did you "force" this year? Hubby covered ours for just a couple of weeks,it had just started growing and he uncovered it,God knows why. Covered it back up and it's leapt up, just made the first crumble of the year
  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/vegetables/rhubarb

    @LG_ I just read this on the RHS website, hopefully it will answer your question.
    Not really - I'd read it before. I know the 'rules' about picking, I just want to know whether picking stimulates more growth, or depletes strength. Having to be so careful in the early years implies the latter, but I wonder whether there's a time limit on the depletion aspect.

    @Nanny Beach One is 4 years old but I moved it after the first year so I'm counting it as 3 years. The other is 2 years (ie: last year was the first year where I picked any at all). And no, I didn't force either, again because they say one shouldn't force the same bit two years in a row so I figure it takes a lot out of it. I always thought of them as tough plants really, but all the rules about not asking too much of them re age / number of stalks / forcing make me feel like they're sensitive little flowers!
    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Don't tell anyone then,ours get forced every year but they do get a very good manure feed.I think mine is 3 or 4 years old,it's Raspberry Red.In the last week they have shot up about a foot
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Definitely not sensitive little flowers,haha. Have you seen the size of the flowers,no,you shouldn't really, because they shouldn't be allowed to flower
  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360
    I am starting to think I should stop mollycoddling them and treat 'em as mean as I do the rest of the garden! It's the investment of 2 years without any crop that makes me afraid to do that... but s*d it I'm just going to pick some and be damned.
    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    If you are to be damned ,we know what the third course of your last meal will be😋
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360
    Got it in one!
    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    Pulling leaves off of any plant weakens it, no matter how old or large the plant is, with rhubarb, asparagus or any herb it's all just balance. The plant will let you know if you take to many, the new stems will be thinner than the ones it had before.
    Rhubarb is hard to kill and pretty hard to put a dent into to be honest, just take a few stems each time and it will be fine.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Yes .., never take more than a third of the stems and stop picking at the beginning of July to allow the crown to build up for the following year.  Keep it mulched and watered and don’t let it flower. It’s that simple ... and very tasty. 😋  

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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