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

22 Apr 16, Tempest (Australia - temperate climate)
Rhubarb crowns are usually only available during winter - which more or less answers the question! I'm in Melbourne and last year was our coldest winter on record - I planted several newly purchased rhubarb crowns and they all did fine.
06 Mar 16, Morveen (Australia - temperate climate)
You can put the crown of rhubarb in anytime, make sure it's in the shade. I am in the Taree district and mine grows well. Mine loves dynamic lifter, and try not to pick too much off the first year.
09 Feb 16, Toby Craig (Australia - temperate climate)
can you plant rhubarb in late February in Wahroonga, Sydney NSW
01 Mar 16, Genevieve (Australia - temperate climate)
don't see why not. just remember to fertilise . Water daily as they seem to require it at this time of the year.
31 Jan 16, Jan Schulz (Australia - temperate climate)
I have a new rhubarb plant it was planted in October 2015 & it has grown so big, some leaves would be 18 inches across. Do I pick the stalks, they are still green. Everything I have read says don't pick for 12 months. Can anyone please help. A tip for stewing rhubarb if you are watching your weight is to stew it in diet lemonade. I stew all my fruit in diet lemonade.
10 Feb 16, Val Burns (Australia - temperate climate)
if your rhubarb is healthy and there is plenty of it you can harvest when you like. Take care removing the stalks by pulling (not cutting ) them off the base of the plant. leave enough of the rhubarb to sustain the plant for more growth. Rhubarb likes rich soil and a good amount of water, we like it cooked with apple. not all rhubarb is red.
26 Jan 16, Amanda (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
The best way of cooking rhubarb is to string it and then cut it into chunks, place it on a baking tray, sprinkle with sugar and bake bout 20min at 180. Lovely done with ginger as well!
17 Jan 16, Pat (USA - Zone 5a climate)
We have had good results using horse manure on rhubarb.
16 Jan 16, James Watson (Australia - temperate climate)
What is a good fertilizer for rhurbarb I can get lots of horse manure is it any good?
22 Apr 16, Tempest (Australia - temperate climate)
I got taught to use well rotted chook manure. Not sure about others - as long as it's high in nitrogen, I reckon you'll be fine!
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