When flowers appear from a rhubarb plant that means it is bolting. It is best to remove the flowers at the crown level as soon as they appear. When rhubarb plants flower, it takes away energy from the plant that goes into making the tasty stalks we grow them for. If the flowers are allowed to remain, it will lead to seed production (also taking away valuable resources from the plant), and the resulting seeds will not produce a plant like the one they come from. Flowering will not affect the taste of the stalks, but can lead to a lesser crop.
Rhubarb plants can bolt for any number of reasons. Old-fashioned varieties and older plants are more prone to bolt. For older plants, dividing every 4 or 5 years helps to reinvigorate the plants and cut done on the likelihood of bolting. Weather can also play a factor, as rhubarb is a cool season crop and unusually warm spring temperatures can cause to bolt, as can stress caused by drought.
Hi Teri,
When flowers appear from a rhubarb plant that means it is bolting. It is best to remove the flowers at the crown level as soon as they appear. When rhubarb plants flower, it takes away energy from the plant that goes into making the tasty stalks we grow them for. If the flowers are allowed to remain, it will lead to seed production (also taking away valuable resources from the plant), and the resulting seeds will not produce a plant like the one they come from. Flowering will not affect the taste of the stalks, but can lead to a lesser crop.
Rhubarb plants can bolt for any number of reasons. Old-fashioned varieties and older plants are more prone to bolt. For older plants, dividing every 4 or 5 years helps to reinvigorate the plants and cut done on the likelihood of bolting. Weather can also play a factor, as rhubarb is a cool season crop and unusually warm spring temperatures can cause to bolt, as can stress caused by drought.
Hope this helps!