What the?

[HD]

I've had this rubarb plant for a few years now. Just looked at it today....wtf?

[attachment deleted by admin]

[glenn57]

looks like that bad boy seeded out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HD]

So? What do I do with it now? Chop it off? Leave it? Pickle it? Smoke it? 

[glenn57]

i'd cut it off down at ground level!!!!

[dew2]

 Most of em flower out,BUT not this early.Mine flower when its hot out,I cut the flower stalk off so the energy of the plant goes back to leaves.It'll probable shoot out another flower stalk just cut em off.
 Must be real warm aginst that shack??

[HD]

Dunno how hot it is, never did it before...so, I was kinda shocked. It is on the south side of the pole barn...

[Rebel SS]

This might help, HD. Maybe the south exposure of sun reflecting back off shed wall....?

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/rhubarb/rhubarb-bolting.htm

[HD]

Thanks Reb! Some good information there!

[Rebel SS]

Maybe you can whack it down (notice I didn't say "off")  and sell it to Smurf as new hybrid Horseradish stalk.   

[HD]

My plan this year was to make some rubarb wine. Am I s.o.l. now? 

[glenn57]

My plan this year was to make some rubarb wine. Am I s.o.l. now? 

I wouldn't think so!!!!!!!!

[glenn57]

Maybe you can whack it down (notice I didn't say "off")  and sell it to Smurf as new hybrid Horseradish stalk.   

don't you gotta go cook something!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dew2]

 I might do some wine since it was brought up,I have rhubarb in the freezer and my plant is also on the south side of a metal building (The sardine can)Trailor home.
 Maybe your plant is stressed with all the weeds for competition???

[HD]

Dunno, ain't many weeds there cause I mow right up to it.  That site that Reb put up, says to use some mulch to keep the roots cool....I'll try that.....

[Dotch]

Good guide there Reb! Pretty much exactly what Mrs. Cheviot has told me over the years. In addition to being numerous other types of slaves for her, I am also her gardening slave. She has almost 40 years of experience in the hort business so I just follow orders. We have a couple different varieties of rhubarb in the photo. The two on the left are both Canada Red and the one that's bolting on the right is an old fashioned green variety of some kind. We always had red rhubarb when I grew up so that's what I insisted on. She originally poo-pooed my choice, saying the green was faster to get started which it generally is but it's also faster to bolt and tends to get tough more readily. They taste the same it's just the red looks prettier when cooked up, a nice pink sauce and pie the same way. The green can be made to look red with a few drops of food coloring. The green plant was put in about 8 years ago and the reds in consecutive seasons following that. All had a 5 gallon bucket of composted sheep manure mixed into the soil when we dug the hole to plant them. We've picked the red pretty hard this spring and it's tough to tell we've even touched it.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[HD]

I'm not even sure what kind I have. 
Grandma gave me a root, aunt gave me a root, lady from work gave me a root... kinda like the United States, I got a mixed bag....

I'm thinking I gotta make a run to Dotch's place....he's got rubarb and lamb...

[Rebel SS]

Make sure ya arrive right around dinner time.....

[deadeye]

My rhubarb is bolting also.  Really early this year.  I just yank them off when I see one.