Rhubarb

Rhubarb requires a cold-dormancy period and does best in locations where winters fall below 40° F. Southern gardeners can grow it as an annual.

Plant rhubarb in a site that faces south, in well-drained fertile soil. Full sun is best. Stalks will grow in partial sun but will not be as thick. Use two fist-size crowns (placed about six inches apart) or one larger crown to a hill. Plant them about one inch below the soil surface, with the hills about three feet apart. Water well, and keep the crowns watered for the first four months while the roots develop.

When new leaf growth is about six inches high, circle each crown with a 2-1/2- to 3-foot diameter collar of an organic mulch, such as strawy manure, leaf mold, compost, or grass clippings (avoid wood chips because of their high acid content).