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Flowering Rhubarb
Peta
Posts: 13
Can anyone tell me why my healthy rhubarb has persisted in sending up umpteen flower stalks for the past several months? No sooner do I remove two, than three more appear. I know that they are supposed to reduce the plant's vigour if they're left, and in fact now I've harvested most of the large stalks, the new growth is much smaller. What do you think the plant's telling me?
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I think it's telling you it's a flowering plant. Some do it more than others
In the sticks near Peterborough
Well, it's a thorough nuisance, Nutcutlet! Why doesn't it wait until after harvesting! Where water is concerned, Pansyface, I know my plants have extremely deep roots (I tried to dig one up last year) and they grow on good clay, so I think there's plenty of water for them down below. They never seem to wilt, anyway.
So, I'll just accept it as it is, then. Thanks for your replies.
mine did the same around three years ago, you,ll have too take the flower off the plant as it may not fruit the following year ... in a way its so healthy its flowering but it wont do it any good remove as soon as you see it
When were they last lifted and separated? That might cure the problem for next season.
I do keep removing the flower stalks as soon as I see them, and I've stopped harvesting now. They were lifted from a friend's garden two years ago, so I shouldn't need to separate them again for some time. Perhaps they're still in the process of settling in, so I'll see how they get on next year.
Give them a sprinkling of FB&B and keep them well watered in dry spells. When the leaves die down give them a good mulch of well rotted farmyard manure (around not over the top). That should perk them up - plants flower to reproduce themselves and maintain the species etc - quite often if they're stressed a bit they'll send up a flower spike in case they're not going to survive.
So for plants that we grow for their foliage (rhubarb, lettuce, chard, cabbage etc) they need to be grown fairly soft in rich soil.
Plants that we grow for their flowers or fruit need to be grown just a bit 'harder'
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
FB&B??
Sorry
Fish Blood & Bone - slow-acting organic fertiliser 
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Of course. Thank you so much. I'll do that, and see how they are next year.