Rhubarb is a perennial vegetable famous for its tart-flavored pinkish-green stalks, although it’s used as a sweetened fruit in pies, tarts, and jams. Here’s how to plant, grow, and harvest your own rhubarb!
About Rhubarb
Rhubarb originally came from Asia. It was brought to Europe in the 1600s and to America not long 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 really thrive and produce an abundance of huge stalks.
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 wonderful about rhubarb is that it’s a perennial: It will produce for many years—five 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 just go ahead and plant it near their compost piles!
Reader Comments
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Rhubarb isn't well adapted
Rhubarb isn't well adapted for Florida climates though I've heard there is one variety that manages. See this link from your Florida cooperative extension service: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mv124
Perhaps you could go back to your Feed store and ask the variety; then call your cooperative extension to get more local information (and Google the variety!).
rhubarb
Here it is last of Aug and my rhubarb,which is on the west side of my hose is beautiful.I think it most be cause it does not get direct sun. It really only gets direct sun in the afternoon.
rhubarb
My rhubarb plants are still growing like crazy and this is August! Can i still harvest and eat this late in the season?
Jeanne, Auburn, IN.
If your rhubarb is still
If your rhubarb is still putting out new growth and not dried out, then you can still harvest it! Sometimes cooler nights in late summer can bring on growth. Once it starts to lay down and it doesn't look so great, it's done. Usually it's done in September.
rhubarb with green stalks
some of my rhubard stalks ar green, but most are red. Are the green any good?
The color of rhubarb stalks
The color of rhubarb stalks can vary, based on the cultivar. For example, Victoria and Linneaus cultivars have green stalks that blush a little red near the base. More recent cultivars, such as Ruby, Valentine and Canada Red, have solid red stalks.
rhubarb leaves
I was admiring my garden and noticed that one of my rhubarb leaves was almost completly gone from the inside out. Is this crown rot? And when i harvest my rhubarb will it grow back?
Rhubarb
It's hard to say what is plaguing your rhubarb. If it is crown rot, it will be affecting the area where the stems and roots meet, not the leaves.
However, there are particular diseases that affect the leaves on rhubarb . These diseases often create a shot-hole appearance and can be taken care of with good sanitation. Remove all of the flower debris after the first frost. Also, be sure to heavily fertilize at the start of harvest time next year.
Thank you for your interest in the Old Farmer's Almanac and our Web site.
harvesting after seeds form
How long can you harvest the rhubarb, can you harvest and eat after it goes to seed (I did not cut my seed tops off)?
Rhubarb
The best time to harvest rhubarb is mid-June. You'll want to cut the tops off after they begin to flower. However, there's no problem if you decide wait longer to harvest them. They are still edible and will not make you sick.
Be aware of freezing temperatures! Temps like this can cause toxins in the leaves to spread to the stalks rendering them as poisonous.
Thank you for your interest in the Old Farmer's Almanac and our Web site.
RHUBARB IN NORTH TX
I live in NE TX and have had great luck so far with rhubarb (Victoria variety). Do not harvest first year and keep well watered. Second year harvest only 2 stalks per plant in first two weeks of harvest season (late spring) third year you may harvest up to half of stalks over an eight week period. Bought my roots at Tractor Supply. Good luck!
Where to buy rhubarb plants?
I live in zone 9 - North Texas and I've been told rhubarb doesn't grow here - but I want to give it a try. Our local garden stores don't even stock it. Where can I buy it online?
In northern Texas you should
In northern Texas you should be in zone 8. I live in zone 8, but in Alabama. I have lived in San Antonio, the climate is about the same. I am growing rhubarb just fine. You do not want to put it in full sun down here. I have read the east side of the house is best. I bought mine at Walmart. You can also buy it at Michigan bulb co. or Burpee.com. Good luck
rhubarb
I live in zone 10 in Southwest Florida and have planted rhubarb for the first time. What do you think of my chances of survival for my 3 plants. Right now I have 3 leaves on each plant. It gets pretty hot down here in the summer months.
Bobbi Robertson
N Ft Myers FL
growing rhubarb in hot climates
You already bought the plants so all you can do is try, which is what I am doing. I live in zone 8, hot TX. An employee at a hardware store told me it is to hot here to grow rhubarb, but my mom grew it in Sacramento, CA and it reaches 100+ every summer. So I am giving it a try. Hope you succeed, but either way, let others know how the plants do.
The taste!!
Believe it or not, my niece and I would eat this raw right from the garden. Turn your tongue inside out-LOL! We both craved that super sour for some reason.
Rhubarb
The only fertilizer I ever use is fireplace wood-ash. Early spring as roots poke through earth spread on patch & scratch it in.
Frequent watering is essential.
My patch this year has been the best in years.
Mike Windle;
Osoyoos, BC.
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