You should not harvest rhubarb for the first one to two years after planting. Once it is well established, you can pull stems each spring through the end of June. Cut out any flower stalk that develops; you don't want the plant to waste energy on seed production. Varieties of rhubarb with red stalks that don't develop flowers typically produce larger stems. Rhubarb is a heavy feeder requiring copious quantities of compost to do well. If the soil is not high in organic matter, the stalks will be thin. Provide lots of compost each fall to increase the size and quantity of the stems.

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