revitalising rhubarb

[retropants]

I wonder if any of you kind people out there in forum-land will be able to help? My rhubarb always used to be the envy of the allotments. I got a bit too big for its boots, so we divided it all and replanted in a new bit of the plot. It has since been utterly pathetic. Can it possibly be holding a grudge against us for moving it?!
I has been manured, and fed with compost, but it still refuses to perform.
Any ideas?......

[Primrose]

I suspect rhubarb might be like French peonies which go into a long deep sulk if they're split, dug up or moved. I moved my rhubarb plant a couple of years ago which wasn't really thriving in a shaded place. I gave the new location as much manure as I could spare. The first year it only produced two miserable stalks which rotted and died. This spring I've now got a few more stalks but they're all short stumpy ones. Perhaps next year it will return to its former glory. I'm beginning to think it might have been more productive to start again with a completely new plant.

[Monika]

Rhubarb needs two or three years to settle down after replanting or splitting, so don't take too many stalks off this year, let it recover and then it 'll be fine and thrive again.

[jane E]

Same advice. I inherited old miserable looking rhubarb when I moved. I had to move it, so I thoroughly manured it and left it alone. Last year I took a limited number of stalks and left it from end of June onwards. It thrived with thick stalks and loads of them. This year I've forced it with straw and the pickings have been excellent. I think the answer is feeding and don't expect results immediately.

[retropants]

Thankyou for your advice! Unforunately, it was moved about 3 years ago, and is still feeble! I shall tell mother NOT to pick any this year, and make sure it is well mulched and fed, and hopefully next year it will improve.
Emma.