And, while you are here, what makes the holes in the rhubarb in the photo above?

ETA: We see the same hing in the high desert in Nevada. Cannot find any organism or disease. Just seems to happen.

I'm impressed -- how ever do you manage to grow rhubarb around these parts???

albert - I have no idea. Normally rhubarb leaves show no damage. I imagine this plant is under a lot of heat stress.

Karen - I try it every year. Sometimes I can keep a couple of plants going for up to three years but lately that has been harder and harder to do. What you want are the extra large roots farmed on the DelMarVa peninsula, I can usually find them at an early spring garden show along the east coast. Landreth seeds is the company booth I would purchase from but I believe they are now out of business. Plant the roots as soon as you can and mulch with a deep layer of straw. They like full sun and cool temps - which is why they are difficult to grow here. One root will make a plant big enough to make 3-5 pies before it gets hot enough to kill it.

Karen, I grow my rhubarb in containers in part shade....

The container are 20 gal. (I have three) and I've had them a couple years so far. I have them near my ginger, turmeric, and some EE..so that's the water schedule they get. It's working for me and I'm even a bit hotter here in the Sandhills.

I've today off some am out playing in garden -