Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Rhubarb
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Planting
Rhubarb grows best in full sun but will tolerate partial shade.
Choose a site with soil that is well-draining and fertile. Good drainage is essential, as rhubarb will rot if kept too wet. Mix compost, rotted manure, or anything high in organic matter into the soil. Rhubarb plants are heavy feeders and need this organic matter. Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting.
Rhubarb gets big! It can grow to 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. Make sure you choose a site where it won’t be crowded.
When to Plant Rhubarb
- Rhubarb can be planted in late fall or early spring.
- Plant rhubarb crowns after dormancy have set in in the fall, and you’ll have rhubarb cropping in the spring!
- In spring, plant crowns when the soil is workable, when the roots are still dormant, and before growth begins (or as plants are just beginning to leaf out). If you have a temperature gauge, soil temperature should be 50°F minimum.
How to Plant Rhubarb
- Plant 1-year-old rhubarb crowns, which you can find at a garden center, or nursery, or order online. Plants will be sold as bare-rooted specimens or young plants already growing in pots, ready for transplanting. (Rhubarb can be grown from seed, but this is not recommended.)
- Before planting, eliminate all perennial weeds in the planting site.
- Dig large, bushel-basket-size holes.
- Space rhubarb plants about 2 to 4 feet apart and 3 to 4 feet between rows.
- Plant crowns so the eyes are about 2 inches below the soil surface with buds facing up.
- Water well at the time of planting.
Check out this video to learn more about how to plant rhubarb:
Growing
Overcrowding is a common problem with rhubarb and can lead to subpar growth. Dig and split rhubarb roots every 3 to 4 years. Divide when plants are dormant in early spring (or late fall). Divisions should have at least one large bud on them.
- Mulch generously with a heavy layer of straw to retain moisture and discourage weeds.
- Water your plant well and consistently. Rhubarb needs sufficient moisture, especially during the hot, dry summer days.
- Remove seed stalks as soon as they appear, as they will only drain energy from the plant that could be used to produce stalks or roots.
- Each spring, apply a light sprinkling of a fertilizer (10-10-10) when the ground is thawing or has just thawed. See your local frost dates.
- In the fall, remove all plant debris. Once your ground freezes, it’s best to cover rhubarb with 2 to 4 inches of organic mulch, preferably well-rotted compost. By adding nitrogen to the soil, you’re preparing the rhubarb plants for a good spring season.
Types
These common varieties have attractive red stalks and excellent growers:
- ‘Canada Red’
- ‘Crimson Red’
- ‘MacDonald’
- ‘Valentine’
In addition to the previous four, there is a reliable, green-stalked cultivar named:
- ‘Victoria’
Cooking Notes
Check out our list of best rhubarb recipes to put your fresh rhubarb to good use! Plus, learn how to make a rhubarb tonic.
Catherine Boeckmann
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We planted a rhubarb plant last year and it looked like it was dying so we moved it. It took off. Did not harvest last year. This year after feet of snow it's out of control. It's a monster. I've never owned one before. I don't remember the variety, green or red but it's red at the bottom and green about midway up the stalk is green. How do you know when ready? It continues to shoot leaves upward. Is this normal?
Sounds like you hit the jackpot! If you have nice strong (celery-size) stalks, it’s ready to eat—but not the leaves; they are poisonous. Twist off the stalks at the root or use a knife to slice them off. Take as many as you like/need; it should continue to produce for a few weeks. Leave the smaller stalks…they’ll get bigger. Enjoy!
Hi I can't get my rhubarb to grow!! It comes up in small little stalks about as big a round as my pinky finger. I figured I'd leave it last year to let it go to seed and hopefully grow and thicken up but it didn't even go to seed...it just died. Any ideas on what I could be doing wrong or what I should do? Thanks in advance.
I'm growing strawberry rhubarb, can't get them to get fat, they're very thin
Is this an established plant, that had been producing fine but then started to be spindly? If so, it could be that the plant is now overcrowded—sometimes the crown needs dividing every 5 to 15 years, ideally in late winter/early spring or in fall when the plant is dormant. Or, if this is a new plant, does it have enough nutrients to establish itself? Avoid harvesting the first year, and only harvest lightly the second. After those years, only remove 1/3 to 1/2 of the plant, so that there are enough stalks remaining so that the leaves can make food for the plant to keep it healthy. Another problem that sometimes occurs is when the plant is set too deep (more than 1 or 2 inches), sometimes causing weak or delayed growth. You might also check for insects and disease, such as crown rot. Be sure that the plant has enough water (but soil is not waterlogged); if it is growing in part shade, the stems will be more spindly. Hope this helps!
I have two plants that my mother brought to Toronto from north of here about 70 years ago. I don’t know how long she had them before that. She had them in her yard and when she died I have taken them with me wherever I move. It’s hard to believe they come up so heartily every year. They are the green variety.
We live in Pa. As soon as the rhubarb begins to grow it begins to have the seed heads. It is mid Apr after a very snowy winter and I have already taken off several heads. The stalks are not even large enough to pick yet. Why does this happen and is there anything we can do?
We planted 3 stocks of red rhubarb last year. It has gone to seed already. What do we do
When your rhubarb goes to seed, or bolts, it can be due to heat, such as an unusually warm period in spring. Or, it can happen due to stress, such as not enough water. Certain varieties also tend to bolt more than others. When you see a flower stalk forming, you might want to cut it off at the base (don’t twist the stalk; instead, use a knife or pruning shears to make a clean cut on these tougher stalks). This way, the plant can focus its energy on forming leaf stalks. To help prevent bolting, you can add mulch to keep roots cool during warm spells. Be sure that the plant is getting enough water, light, and nutrients, and isn’t overcrowded.
I live in southern TN. I am about 40 miles north of the MS. boarder. I have checked with some catalogs and it says I can grow rhubarb here, but locals here say you can't. Could I grow it in containers? I am from upstate NY and miss having it to make jam.
