Rhubarb may get your full attention as a spring vegetable-slash-fruit—and a vigorously growing one, at that—but fall is the perfect time to give it some care. A little fall care now ensures this perennial vegetable wakes up strong and productive in just a few short months.

Here’s a quick list of what you can do this fall in preparation for a huge harvest next spring.

Clean Up Leaves

A frost in your area is imminent, and your rhubarb leaves will collapse. They’ll end up as a mushy pile of leaves and will slowly desiccate. Don’t let them get that far! As soon as you see them succumb to cold temperatures, remove them from the plant and discard them. If they remain in place, there’s a good chance they’ll become a home for diseases and pests over the winter. Compost pile? Some can head there, for sure. But too many rhubarb leaves—which contain oxalic acid—can be toxic to the pile. Either dispose of them in the trash or, if you have a wild hedge, distribute them there.

Clear Off the Rhubarb Crown

Once the leaves are off, you’ll have a better look at the crown, or growing center, of the plant. Again, clear away any debris you find there such as weeds and small leaves. This removes places where pests and those nasty slugs can hide.

Divide Your Rhubarb

Once the leaves are gone, it’s a good time to thin out your rhubarb patch. This is especially true if your rhubarb plant is more than five years old, or your rhubarb patch has become a bit crowded. Old or crowded crowns can lead to slower production, so thinning now would help your rhubarb rejuvenate and produce at a better rate next spring.

Divide by lifting the crown from the soil with a spade and cutting it into sections with at least one healthy bud on each crown. Replant in well-prepared (well-draining and compost-rich) soil—or share your rhubarb love with your well-deserving friends.

The Need for Feed

Rhubarb requires lots of nutrition to support its lush foliage. Give your rhubarb a leg up for next spring by provide it with food this fall. Put down a layer of compost or well-rotted manure encircling the plant, taking care to keep it away from the plant’s crown. It’ll break down over the winter and its nutrients will then be available to the plant as it begins its spring growth.

Mulch for Winter

Your rhubarb crowns will also appreciate a layer of mulch for the winter. A light layer of straw, shredded leaves of compost will help protect your rhubarb crowns from the cycles of freezing and thawing that can be damaging. Wait to lay down your mulch once your ground is consistently cool but before it has frozen solid.

This checklist will take you maybe an hour, but it’ll put your rhubarb patch in a great position for super growth next spring.