Rhubarb will grow stronger and more fruitful stalks if gardeners do 1 simple task in June
Rhubarb grows its best stalks in early June, as it is the peak time for harvest, but one simple thing can completely ruin the plant if gardeners do not spot it quickly.
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Rhubarb tends to grow its thickest and juiciest stalks in early June, but gardeners need to pay attention to the plant’s crown in the next few weeks, or they may not get any harvest. Once the weather heats up, rhubarb is likely to begin bolting, which is when the plant becomes too stressed and gives up growing crops to spend energy spreading its seeds.
Bolting rhubarb will stop producing any edible crops and instead begin growing thin woody flowers that will greatly weaken the plant. However, Kimberly Killebrew, a gardener and founder of Daring Gourmet, has shared that it is easy to prevent bolting as all you have to do is remove any seeding pods before they have a chance to spread.
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She said, “Ideally, you really want to avoid letting your rhubarb plant even get to the point where there are flower stalks.
“Initially, these long shoots start off as a seed pod at the base of the plant. As soon as you notice these seed pods, remove them.”
Seeding pods will first look like soft green shoots around the crown of rhubarb, where the stalks usually emerge.
They may have red or pink streaks on them, but they will look almost cabbage-like or even like a closed-up fist.
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However, the good news about seeding pods is that they are incredibly fragile and very easy to remove as long as you spot them quickly.
Once you see them, simply use a knife or garden shears to cut them off as close to the base of the plant as possible.
If you notice any flower clusters, then also cut them off immediately as well but be careful as they tend to be a lot tougher to remove, so make sure your gardening tools are sharp enough.
Once you remove the flowers and pods then your rhubarb will be able to focus all its strength on growing its biggest and most tender stalks for a June harvest.
Kimberly said: “With your seed pods and flower stalks removed, your rhubarb plant can now focus its energy and producing a delicious and healthy yield of edible rhubarb stalks. Continue checking your plant frequently for new seed pods and promptly remove them.”
It should be noted that rhubarb will only begin bolting if they are stressed by the hot weather, so make sure to keep watering it and do not let the soil dry out.
You may want to consider mulching your rhubarb or having it in the shade if it is in a pot, as keeping it cool will also protect your harvest.
However, the absolute best way to protect a rhubarb’s stalks is to check the plant daily, as the earlier you remove any emerging flowers, the more likely the crop is to continue growing.
