Growing Rhubarb

Rheum rhabarbarum : Polygonaceae / the dock family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
      P                

(Best months for growing Rhubarb in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • P = Plant crowns
  • Easy to grow. Plant pieces of rhizome or roots 8 - 10 cm (3 - 4 in.) deep. Best planted at soil temperatures between 5°C and 20°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 90 cm apart
  • Harvest in approximately 1 years. You will have a stronger plant if you leave it for about a year before using..
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Brassicas (Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, etc)

Your comments and tips

24 Aug 20, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Most of the info is in the notes here. Plant Sept, good draining soil, maybe a bit of shade if possible (it is a cool weather plant). Takes a few years to really establish. Probably give it a fertiliser hit early in the spring each year and during the picking season. Google how to grow it.
18 Aug 20, Anne (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
How should the rhubarb be kept over winter if kept in a pot? I believe they need the cold period. My young plant looked half dead until I put it in our warm light grow room for now, but I believe that wouldn't be a year round solution, is that right?
20 Aug 20, Anon (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Check online how to plant grow and harvest it.
19 Jul 20, sandra (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Should we feed the rhubarb we have in the garden with a fertilizer on a regular basis?
20 Jul 20, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Fertiliser during the growing season. Whatever you buy just follow the directions.
07 Jun 20, Wendy Synnott (Canada - Zone 3b Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I have 2 types of rhubarb growing well but it has little flavour. I’m wondering why so little flavour and what I should do to improve it.
16 May 20, Donna Johnson (USA - Zone 10b climate)
Will rhubarb grow in my zone if I plant in a container and if so which kind should I plant?
06 May 20, Jane Trembath (Australia - temperate climate)
My rhubarb looks terrible The leaves have holes and brown patches. Also the stalks have become woody and thin. Can you give me some advice about how to treat the plant? Regards Jane
27 May 20, Claudia (Australia - temperate climate)
I had the same problem with my rhubarb. It never thrived. For 3 years, it was in a spot that received western sun and full shade in winter. The soil wad always dry, and I had to keep the water up. I moved it into a north east facing raised bed full of rich soil and mulched thickly. Did this about 6 weeks ago, and it has already doubled in size. The leaves are bigger, greener and lush. The stalks are also thick and crisp! We're coming into winter now, so your rhubarb might take a little longer to recover. Give it a good drink of seaweed at transplant. I also soak my mulch in seaweed solution before mulching. As for the holes in the leaves, that will probably be from a grub. Inspect your plant and its root ball before transplanting, so you don't bring the little muncher over too! Sometimes grubs hide in the ground. Good luck!
08 May 20, M (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have never grown it although my mother did nearly 60 yrs ago. Holes in it would be some kind of caterpillar/grub, the brown could be leaves dying off or lack of water. Thin stalks would be lack of nutrient, maybe the same for woody stalks. Maybe time to replant it somewhere (if possible) into new rich soil and keep the water up to it and a fert feed now and again.
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