I've always mowed the rhubarb plant in the fall to winterize the plant, but what is the best thing to do to rhubarb if you can't get rhubarb into where it was transplanted to? I have 60 plants in the area (12x50 approx), and picking every stalk in the fall would be a real pain.
asked Jun 11, 2021 at 3:53
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3What does "if you can't get rhubarb into where it was transplanted to" mean?– BrōtsyorfuzthrāxCommented Jun 11, 2021 at 4:56
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You can't get a lawn mower into a rhubarb patch that is hilly, and full of trees.– black thumbCommented Jun 12, 2021 at 3:40
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1 Answer
I have half a dozen rhubarb 'Timperley Early' at my allotment. I stop picking the stalks in late June/early July then I just ignore them for the rest of the year. In the winter the foliage dies and disappears into the ground. I do try to surround them with a thick layer or well rotted compost in the winter, and in the picking season I will try to water them if they are looking a bit dry. Apart from that I tend to leave them to do their own thing.
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Don't cover the actual crown of the plant with compost in winter. Rhubarb needs temperatures below freezing to trigger its winter dormancy, so in a relatively mild climate like the UK "protecting it from frost" with a layer of compost or whatever is a bad idea. Remove any dead leaves that are covering the crown of the plant for the same reason. Commented Jun 11, 2021 at 11:37
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1@blackthumb - In the winter? I just leave them. They disappear eventually. Commented Jun 14, 2021 at 7:27