Rhubarb is a veg but.........

[Lumpy]

OK this is my rhubarb. It's a veg so there! Please MODS move if you think it's not.



It was bought from a village show 3 years ago for 50p and I was told it was an 'early'.
It's mahoosive and I was told not to pick it after the end of July as the salisilic? acid bulids up and can upset tums. I'm sure there is a tribe of mini dinosaurs living underneath it.
I have several very large bags in the freezer and various neighbours who, have stood long enough have had some.

Question is - should I pick some stems and bin them? Should I leave it alone so the family of mini dinosaurs have a home or should I split the crown in a few months time?

The pic shown is against a 6+ square fence panel.

[Jimothy1275]

I'd leave it until it dies back in the winter and goes dormant then split the crown and replant. I did that to our rhubarb, and it really made a difference to the crop the following year. Although I left the "new" plant alone for that season to recover itself.

[scarey55]

Not too sure of the answers but my question to you is how have you made it so big! That's a lovely specimen.

If it were me, I'd leave the mini dinosaurs there until the next extintion event then dig it up and split it. I read in a winemaking book once that it shouldn't be picked any later than August because it makes the wine difficult to clear. Also, it you pick it bare it won't have enough stems/leaves to store energy to overwinter.

[bikermike]

I'd not leave a rhubarb like that without chaining it up... you turn your back one day, and....

Seriously, looks nice and healthy, I'd let it die back and then do anything to it

but never turn your back on a wounded rhubarb...

[Lumpy]

It's been moved twice since we moved in two and a half years ago but really seems to love it where it is. It is very decorative but is slowly taking over the corner of our very small garden.
I don't do anything to it except water it when it wilts. I really does seem to have a life of its own.

If I split it in a few months could the 'split' be the same as the mother? It will take up even more of the garden if it does.

[Baldy]

splitting is likely to see a twofold increase in rhubarbness

[Lumpy]

I don’t like the idea of splitting the crown and then throwing it away. I just don’t have space for another monster barb.
If anyone wants a triffid please let me know as I’m happy to post the beast at no cost to the next victim.

[Baldy]

Can't you guerrilla garden it somewhere? I look forward to seeing an article about mysterious monster rhubarb appearing in the middle of roundabouts and on the sides of major A roads across the country

[BUFFS]

I know they can be a bit of a problem, we found 13 crowns when we moved here and cleared the weeds, so we give carrier bagfuls away each year, but it does taste good..

[Bren In Pots]

I don’t like the idea of splitting the crown and then throwing it away. I just don’t have space for another monster barb.
If anyone wants a triffid please let me know as I’m happy to post the beast at no cost to the next victim.

Lumpy offer it on freecycle or a similar site, we got rid of our shrubs and pond plants that way when I needed to make way for my veg beds.

[Aberdeenplotter]

It's mahoosive and I was told not to pick it after the end of July as the salisilic? acid bulids up and can upset tums.

It's Oxalic acid which can cause probs with rhubarb.

I'd also be for splitting it after it dies back . Throw the crowns on the ground and leave the frost to do its worst with them and then replant in spring.

[Lumpy]

Lumpy offer it on freecycle or a similar site, we got rid of our shrubs and pond plants that way when I needed to make way for my veg beds.

Ta Bren, I intent to sort out our over stuffed greenhouse and put the planters etc on Freecycle. I’ll add the beast as well.

[Lumpy]

It's Oxalic acid which can cause probs with rhubarb.

I'd also be for splitting it after it dies back . Throw the crowns on the ground and leave the frost to do its worst with them and then replant in spring.

Can the crowns freeze or should I shove an upturned pot on top of them?

[Aberdeenplotter]

Can the crowns freeze or should I shove an upturned pot on top of them?

Frost won't touch them

[It never rains..it pours]

I need to split two rhubarb plants that came with the house, the crowns are nearly 2 ft across. As a lot of you on this thread have split them can you please give any tips on how to do this but yet still get a similar crop next year ?. I have a new bed made up for 2 cut off crowns. I was thinking take 1/4 off each this autumn ?