Rhubarb Bolting

ErinL 6/17/2011, 10:35 pm

My rhubarb bolted really early on me. This is the first year it's big enough to harvest any. Can you still use it once it's bolted? Do you cut off the fluffy stuff at the top? Do I just let it go and hope I get some next year?

Thanks!

ErinL 6/17/2011, 10:39 pm

Sorry... I cant' see my post - forgive me if I'm double posting. My question is this: My rhubarb bolted pretty early with the hot weather we've had here in northern Michigan. This is the first year my rhubarb is big enough to harvest any, but I don't know if you can use it once it has bolted. If so, what do you do? Cut off the fluffy stuff on top? Do I just let it go and hope to get some next year?

Thanks for any advice.

Barkie 6/18/2011, 10:58 am

I'm not sure about you taking a crop from it since it is a young 'un and it has bolted due to stress but pull the flower off as soon as you can, the same way as the rhubarb stalks ....I heard to pull not cut stalks. Poor thing, too dry and hot for it.

garden girl 6/18/2011, 11:49 am

My rhubarb pretty much takes care of itself, so I'm not super-informed on what you are supposed to do with them. However, mine has also sent up seed in the early spring on more than one occasion. I have simply pulled that stalk (mine has usually only been one or 2 seed stalks) and used the rest of it as usual.

Perhaps you could try pulling the stalks that have seeds, watering good, then taking only part of the remaining rhubarb? Don't know your climate or how long it grows there; here in Washington we have hot, dry summers. My rhubarb grows all summer and I just take a few stalks when I want to make something with it.

Hope this is of some help. You might try looking up www.rhubarbinfo.com for more information about it. Good luck!

~Elaine~

Denese 6/18/2011, 12:55 pm

My 2 cents. Smile

Usually you can just pull the flower stalk(s) and continue harvesting. My understanding is that you're not supposed to pull all the stalks, though. Only the ones that are 1/2 inch or more. The rest just die back, eventually, and then you can clean them out.

**sanderson** 4/12/2017, 1:02 pm

Saw this on Facebook: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/rhubarb/rhubarb-bolting.htm

**trolleydriver** 4/12/2017, 1:11 pm

sanderson wrote:Saw this on Facebook: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/rhubarb/rhubarb-bolting.htm

We just remove the stems that flower and then continue to harvest the stems that have the leaves.

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