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How to Grow Rhubarb Plants: The Complete Guide

Botanical Name
Rheum rhabarbarum
Plant Type
Vegetable
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Part Sun
Soil pH
Neutral to Slightly Alkaline
Slightly Acidic to Neutral
Hardiness Zone
3
4
5
6
7
8

Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Rhubarb

Catherine Boeckmann
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What grows for 10 years or more, suffers from almost no pests, and is refreshingly easy to care for? It’s rhubarb! This perennial vegetable has tart-flavored ruby or green stems used to make pies, crumbles, cakes, jams, and sauces. Learn how to plant, grow, and pick rhubarb correctly.

About Rhubarb

Rhubarb originally came from Asia. It was brought to Europe in the 1600s and to America shortly thereafter. It thrives in areas with a cooler climate, making it popular in northern gardens. Rhubarb is easy to grow but needs a dormancy period to thrive and produce an abundance of huge stalks. Rhubarb does best where the average temperature falls below 40ºF (4°C) in the winter and below 75ºF (24°C) in the summer.

The stalks are the only edible part of the rhubarb plant. These have a rich, tart flavor when cooked. The leaves of the rhubarb plant are toxic. They contain an irritant called oxalic acid, so be sure that they are not ingested.

What’s lovely about rhubarb is that it’s a perennial: A healthy plant will remain productive for 10 years or more. For that reason, rhubarb should be planted in its own space in any corner of the garden where it can grow undisturbed. Rhubarb grows well in soil amended with plenty of well-rotted manure or compost; this has inspired some gardeners to plant it near their compost piles!

With its ruby or green stems and umbrella-like leaves, rhubarb also adds height and structure to your garden, along with a splash of gorgeous color that will return year in and year out. 

Read Next

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.

Spacing for Rhubarb

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.

Rhubarb leaf

Varieties

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’

Harvesting

Do NOT harvest any stalks during the first growing season. Harvest sparingly in the second year. This allows your plants to become properly established.

  • After a plant’s third year, the harvest period (rhubarb season!) runs 8 to 10 weeks long, lasting through mid-summer.
  • Harvest stalks when they are 12 to 18 inches long and at least 3/4-inch in diameter. If the stalks become thin, stop harvesting; the plant’s food reserves are low.
  • Grab the base of the stalk and pull it away from the plant with a gentle twist. If this doesn’t work, you can cut the stalk at the base with a sharp knife. To prevent the spread of disease, be sure to sanitize the knife before cutting. Discard the leaves.
  • Always leave at least two stalks per plant to ensure continued production. You may have a bountiful harvest for well over 10 years without replacing your rhubarb plants.
  • It was once believed that the entire rhubarb plant became toxic as summer temperatures rose. This isn’t true, although summer-harvested stalks usually have a tougher texture than those picked in the spring. Nevertheless, after midsummer (July), it’s best to leave stalks on the plant to allow them to gather energy for next year’s growth.

How to Store Rhubarb

Cut the rhubarb stalks and refrigerate in a covered container. Or, tightly wrap stalks in plastic or aluminum foil and refrigerate. Rhubarb can be kept fresh in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

Cut rhubarb stalks into pieces, place them in a covered container or zip-type plastic bag, and put them in the freezer. Frozen rhubarb will last about a year.

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Pests/Diseases

Pests and diseases are rarely an issue with rhubarb, but they may be affected by the following problems.

Rhubarb Pests and Diseases
Pest/DiseaseTypeSymptomsControl/Prevention
Botrytis (gray mold)FungusVaries; yellow/ brown/gray spots with water-soaked margins on leaves/flowers; gray mold; buds remain closed; stem lesions; wilt/rot; scorched appearance (“fire”) in some plantsDestroy infected parts/severely infected plants (do not compost); remove plant debris regularly; disinfect tools; good air circulation/sunlight; avoid overhead watering; prevent plant stress/injury; weed; rotation
Fungal leaf spotFungusVaries; leaf spots on lower leaves enlarge and turn brown/black; fuzzy growth or pustules in lesions; disease progresses upward; leaves dieDestroy infected leaves/ severely infected plants (do not compost); remove plant debris regularly; disinfect tools; resistant varieties; good air circulation; avoid overhead watering
Phytophthora crown and root rotOomyceteLeaves discolor/ wilt; dieback; oozing cankers near base; reddish brown discoloration of inner bark/wood; roots rot; plants slow-growing/stunted/dieDestroy infected plants and surrounding soil (do
not compost); prune out branch cankers; remove plant debris regularly; plant resistant varieties; prevent plant stress/injury; provide good drainage/do not overwater
Rhubarb curculioInsectWeevil-like beetle that bores into stalks/crowns; notches on stalks/leaves; holes in stalks leak sap; plants wilt/decayHandpick adults (appear in mid-May); destroy nearby host plants (sunflowers, thistle, dock) in mid-summer (July)
Slugs/snailsMolluskIrregular holes in leaves; slimy secretion on plants/soil; young stems “disappear”Handpick; avoid thick bark mulch; use copper plant collars; avoid overhead watering; lay boards on soil in evening, in morning lift and dispose of pests in hot, soapy water; drown in deep container of 1/2 inch of beer or of sugar water and yeast sunk to ground level; apply 1-inch-wide strip of diatomaceous earth

Wit and Wisdom

Rhubarb has many other uses, from medicinal to cosmetic. See how to naturally lighten your hair with rhubarb. 

Recipes

Apple-Rhubarb Crunch
Rhubarb Chutney Recipe
Rhubarb Nut Bread
Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie
Blueberry-Rhubarb Jam
Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

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.

Vegetables
About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann
 

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Comments

Teri Minninger (not verified)

2 days 4 hours ago

Question about the big flower presenting itself in the middle of the rhubarb plant. What does this mean?
Thank you

Hi Teri,

When flowers appear from a rhubarb plant that means it is bolting. It is best to remove the flowers at the crown level as soon as they appear. When rhubarb plants flower, it takes away energy from the plant that goes into making the tasty stalks we grow them for. If the flowers are allowed to remain, it will lead to seed production (also taking away valuable resources from the plant), and the resulting seeds will not produce a plant like the one they come from. Flowering will not affect the taste of the stalks, but can lead to a lesser crop.

Rhubarb plants can bolt for any number of reasons. Old-fashioned varieties and older plants are more prone to bolt. For older plants, dividing every 4 or 5 years helps to reinvigorate the plants and cut done on the likelihood of bolting. Weather can also play a factor, as rhubarb is a cool season crop and unusually warm spring temperatures can cause to bolt, as can stress caused by drought.

Hope this helps!

Galina Nasteka (not verified)

1 month 2 weeks ago

Can i plant strawberries in the same pot with rhubarb?

Hi Galina,

Strawberries and rhubarb can certainly be planted in the same area of a garden, but given the size of each plant, it is a companion planting that requires plenty of spacing. With that being said, it is not recommended to plant them in the same container because there simply would not be enough space for both and the plants would likely suffer. If you have to use containers for your plants, it would be best to have a second container so each one plant has it own pot to thrive in.

paul orley nelson (not verified)

7 months ago

doing fall prep on my rhubarb and found termites eating my plant how do i get read of them?

Termites might on occasion infest living plants, preferring woody types, such as trees and shrubs. Sometimes they might attack rhubarb. This usually means that there is a colony of the insects nearby. For best advice about eliminating these pests, you might try contacting a professional exterminator. Also, your county’s Cooperative Extension would know the termite species prevalent in your area and might be able to offer information about control. Some species build nests in the soil, whereas others may live in dry or damp wood.

For contact information for the Cooperative Extension, see:
https://www.almanac.com/cooperative-extension-services

Here is an article from the Alabama Cooperative Extension on how to discourage termites in an organic vegetable garden:
https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/crop-production/management-tactics-for-termites-infesting-organic-vegetables/

Hope this helps!

 

Kim (not verified)

7 months 1 week ago

This is my plants 2nd season grown in the pot they came from. They spent a NY winter in my garage in between growing seasons. The plants did die off over the summer in the pot before I could plant them late summer. I finally got my rhubarb patch set up and the plants planted. They have come up beautifully with some really big stalks. I'm praying they survive the winter and I have a great 3rd growing season. My question is can I pull some of the biggest stalks and use them to bake a small rhubarb crisp now? They look perfect but some where I saw not to use this late in the year stalks. Since they are a whole newly grown stalk are they safe to bake with? Thank you!

Hi, Kim,
Ideally, even though this is the second growing season from the pot, since the potted plant was just transplanted this year, you might want to give the plant a rest so that it can establish itself (which it sounds like it is doing nicely), survive the winter, and have a good reserve of energy to start the next growing season. 

If you still would like to harvest a few stalks, do not take more than a third of the plant’s stalks (even less might be better). The stalks might be a little tougher than when picked earlier in the season, and the next year’s harvest may be less abundant if you harvest at this time. Do not harvest ANY stalks if frost has hit your area, as the toxins from the leaves might possibly leak into the stalks, if so.

Hope this helps!

Kim (not verified)

7 months 1 week ago

This is my plants 2nd season grown in the pot they came from. They spent a NY winter in my garage in between growing seasons. The plants did die off over the summer in the pot before I could plant them late summer. I finally got my rhubarb patch set up and the plants planted. They have come up beautifully with some really big stalks. I'm praying they survive the winter and I have a great 3rd growing season. My question is can I pull some of the biggest stalks and use them to bake a small rhubarb crisp now? They look perfect but some where I saw not to use this late in the year stalks. Since they are a whole newly grown stalk are they safe to bake with? Thank you!

Kori Inkster (not verified)

10 months 1 week ago

Replanting into larger planters, I have had them in for 10+ years. But have read not to use peat soil.