Planting
When to Plant Rhubarb
- Rhubarb can be planted in late fall or early spring.
- Plant rhubarb crowns after dormancy has 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.
Where to Plant Rhubarb
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.
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 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’
Victoria is variously described as the white, shaded with red, or speckled variety. Crimson Cherry, Red Cherry, MacDonald, and Ruby are among those that are reliably red. As for the wrong plant? This may be a better question for your source.
Wow! You have done your research! Red leaf, also called bacterial soft rot, is caused by a bacteria called Erwinia rhapontici. As you have found, there doesn't seem to be too much available on controls. It appears that there are several host plants, so you may want to be sure not to grow those in the same area that was infected by the diseased rhubarb. How far away you need to plant healthy plants might depend on the vector; if it is by flying insects, then 20 feet may not be enough. Strains do not seem to be host-specific, meaning that they can attack more than one type of plant. Amaranthus hybridus (a weed) seems to be a host, and the bacteria was found on roman chamomile, peppermint, and lemon balm; there are several others. One vector is thought to possibly be insects--so controlling them may help prevent the spread to other areas/plants. Some sites specifically mention controlling eelworms. One source suggested removing infected soil, but that might not be practical. Be sure to maintain good sanitation, and remove plant debris and weeds around the area; the pathogen can overwinter on infected plant tissue. A few sources mention that using Bacillus subtilis looks promising; I don't know if this is available in a product registered for use on rhubarb in Canada, but here is some information:
http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2010/arla-pmra/H113-25-2010-3-eng.pdf
The following scientific article from 2003 provides some information on the disease that might be useful (it contains a list of host plants):
http://140.112.183.1/cpps/pdf/12-2/12-2-069.pdf
Hope this helps!
You might have a couple of things going on: 1) transplanting any plant causes a shock to its system. Think about it: It's happy, has everything it needs, then it gets moved/uprooted/relocated to an entirely different place. There is an adjustment period. 2) Rhubarb peaks—reaches harvest stage—at about this time (late spring). So it was coming into its own, then it was moved and it has to shift its energy and attention to the new—er—digs. Some plants take a move harder then others. 3) About the soil: Nothing makes rhubarb happier than good-quality animal manure. If you do not have any in the mix, find a way to add/substitute it for what's in there. Finally, rhubarb likes/needs sun. Water is important, but it needs to drain/run off (not sit in a puddle). Finally (again), the rhubarb is not terribly picky about pH (soil acidity); it should be no lower than 5 but is better at around 6.0 to 6.8. Even with all of this you may not have a crop this year but you certainly may have one next year.
We hope this helps. (Oh, rhubarb likes winter, too. So leave it out in the cold and snow!)
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