Hollow rhubarb

[Monika]

I picked our first rhubarb yesterday (not forced) from the only sheltered spot on the allotment. I think the variety is Timperley Early.

Two or three of the stalks were hollow and quite soft. Why might that be? The plants are about 20 years old but have always performed very well.

[Primrose]

I've only experienced this once Monika and that was in an elderly clump grown in a very dry spot so I don't know whether it was due to the age of the plant or lack of water during its early early sprouting stage. I've since split the clump up and after sulking badly for the first year it's now thriving again and I'll get my first early crop in couple of weeks. I'm not sure whether rhubarb gets infected with any kind of rot but possibly after this length of time the plant may need splitting or even replacing. They have massive roots though and moving them is quite a task, so before consigning it to the compost heap I'd be tempted to wait and see what later stems are like.

[vivienz]

Hi Monika,
It's quite early for this, but I have noticed that whenever my rhubarb plants send out a flower spike, these are hollow. Could it be this, perhaps?
Vivien

[Monika]

Thanks, Primrose and Vivienz. I don't think it's a flower stalk because the rhubarb is only just throwing out the first edible stalks, it's more likely old age, as Primrose suggests. They have been in, untouched, for about 20 years (we do feed them every year and I don't think they are short of moisture at any time of the year) but I think we must take the bull by the horn next year and split them!