I have 3 nice sized clumps of rhubarb that I planted last year. This year, due to our really weird and whacky weather, they are taking off like crazy. My question is: 2 of the 3 clumps are sending up these giant sized flower stalks...do they need to get cut off quickly, or should I sit back and enjoy the show? Or, is this a case of asparagus/dill/fennel, where if they flower and seed, I'm going to be weeding out baby rhubarb plants for all eternity?
Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!
question about Rhubarb
Seems my Mom would not let them flower until she was done harvesting what she wanted. I don't recall them reproducing freely by seed. She would divide the roots for more plants.
Definitely break off the flower stalks at the base as soon as they appear. Don't let them go to seed. If you do the plant will not develope properly. If this is only their second year be very sparing with picking the stems.
That is my understanding also. They don't seem to seed themselves back, But- You don't want the plant putting its energy into flowers and seed.
Ok...they have been throwing up seed stalks for a few weeks now, still! I keep cutting them off as close to the ground as possible. TY for the information :-)
Should they be broken instead of cut?
I'm new to rhubarb and just read that the stumps of the stalks will rot if cut but not if broken.