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
Leave a Comment
why does rhubarb bolt (go to seed)?
It’s natural for rhubarb to flower and go to seed. However, you can delay that stage a few ways: Grow Canada Red or Valentine varieties; they are less likely to bolt that “old-fashioned” varieties such as Victoria and MacDonald (these are heavy stalk producers). Older/more mature plants are more likely to bolt than younger ones, although dividing every 4 to 5 years, as it sounds like you did, can essentially rejuvenate mature plants. Applying fertilizer (a balanced type, e.g. 12-12-12) or well composted manure in spring can also delay/discourage bolting. If your plant volts/produces flowers, it is recommended that you remove them, so it will focus its energy on producing leaves.
We are not familiar with rhubarb compared with corn, but the stem and leaf tissue of rhubarb can be damaged by the European corn borer larvae, which as the name indicates is a pest of corn, both sweet and grain.
Rhubarb
My rhubarb doesn’t get big enough to eat. The leaves are getting holes I assume from a bug of some type. People talk about flowers as part of the rhubarb but i’ve never had any flowers. HELP!!
does all rhubarb flower?
Hi, Candy. Some varieties of rhubarb are more prone to producing flowers than others. Do not worry about that. The holes, those you should worry about. If the holes are ragged and fairly big, check for a trail of slime–as slugs sometimes like to eat rhubarb leaves. Tiny to moderate holes in the leaves could be beetles, such as the Japanese beetle. Caterpillars, such as the European corn borer and imported cabbageworm, may sometimes attack leaves or stalks. Other pests, such as aphids or rhubarb curculio, make punctures rather than chewing holes. Look underneath the leaves, and at the base of plants in the soil, for any lurking pest. To learn about garden pests and diseases, check out this page.
Rhubarb in shade
We have moved into a home with an amazing rhubarb patch growing beside one garden shed. Within the next couple of weeks we will be building a second shed beside it, which will cast the rhubarb patch into almost all shade. My plan is to divide and transplant the patch, based on your advice waiting until the fall dormant period. What is the risk to the plants this summer if they are heavily in shade probably from June onward? I realize that any further harvest may be compromised but will the plants actually die from lack of sunlight, or just not grow much larger this year and be ok to transplant in the fall. There were a lot of flower stalks starting, which I cut off, but I"m gathering this is an old growth patch and would need to be divided nevertheless. Also in Ontario, how much shade can they tolerate, I have spots that will either get full morning or afternoon sun but unlikely to have full sun all day.
rhubarb in shade
You can definitely move the plants for a harvest next year, but rhubarb doesn’t grow well in the shade so you will not likely have a good crop this year.
We planted a rhubarb plant
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?
Normal rhubarb
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!
Rhubarb won't grow
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.
spindly rhubarb
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 ⅓ to ½ 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!
Growing rhubarb
I'm growing strawberry rhubarb, can't get them to get fat, they're very thin
Rhubarb
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.
Rhubarb going to seed
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?
Rhubarb going to seed
We planted 3 stocks of red rhubarb last year. It has gone to seed already. What do we do
flowering rhubarb
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.
rhubarb
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.
growing rhubarb in Tennessee
Hi, Carol. In southern Tennessee, rhubarb won’t be as healthy or robust as it would be if grown in an area with cooler, moist summers and winters with temperatures that freeze the soil. You can try growing in containers, but your rhubarb will likely be short lived.
Overwintering rhubarb
We planted two rhubarb plants this spring and haven’t touched them so they could get well established, but now they are huge! Do we just leave them or should I pick some before winter arrives?
Rhubarb
Hi Andy,
You did well not to harvest any earlier, but the frost will kill off everything that remains: Harvest as much as you want, discard the leaves, and spread a layer of mulch around the base of the plant to help to protect the roots during winter. Thanks for writing!
preserving rhubarb
can I freeze rhubarb until I get enough to cook?? if not how do I save for later use??
how to freeze rhubarb
Cut the rhubarb into small pieces (about 1-inch long) and lay them in one layer on a baking sheet. Put the baking sheet in the freezer and wait until rhubarb is frozen–a few hours. Remove baking sheet and pack rhubarb into freezer safe zip-close bags. If you are storing rhubarb for more than a few months, you will need to blanch it before freezing.
Time for harvest
I have a very healthy looking rhubarb plant. How late can I harvest it? It looks good but I'm nervous about it. Does it go bad before a frost?
You can follow the guidelines
You can follow the guidelines above as to how many weeks to harvest–through end of summer, before the first frost, is usually fine. Schedule just a few weeks of harvest, then give the plant time to recover, especially for winter. For each plant, harvest only about one third of the stalks. Plants should be mature (at least 3 years old) before starting to fully harvest. Stalks should be firm, not soft. Rhubarb usually can tolerate temperatures in the low 30s, even upper 20s (degrees F), but can suffer damage below that. One has to be careful about rhubarb, because if the leaves suffer cold damage, the oxalic acid from the leaves may filter into the stalks, making them toxic as well. Signs of cold damage are blackened, shriveled, limp leaves and limp, mushy stalks. If you see any damage to either leaf or stalk, discard both leaf and stalk.
color of rhubarb
I've had rhubarb for years (stalks red about half way up, then green). Seeing the beautiful red stalks from top to bottom in catalog pictures, I decided I wanted some. Ordered (Victoria) and planted last year. Plant looks beautiful--multiple stalks and quite healthy. Only problem: the stalks are green from head to toe; maybe a hint of pink at the base of some--not at all like the picture in the catalog. So. . . does it take time to develop the red color? Does it need some specific nutrients to develop the color? Did they send me the wrong variety? Or is this just one of those "1%" or such that don't develop the color?
not so red rhubarb
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.
Green Rhubarb
You can make your Green Rhubarb red by blanching it. Some people put a dustbin over the whole plant so it's dark for a few days. That turns the stalks red. But I think the green Rhubarb has the best flavor. Not quite as pretty, but it's has a better flavor when stewed and sweetened than the red varieties.
Red Leaf Fungus
Hi. I've scanned through the comments here but have yet to see remarks re: red leaf fungus. In short, most info says: discard the plant and roots (properly) and don't plant rhubarb in that soil ever again. Once it's in the soil that area is done for replanting. It has been stated (Phytopth.ca) that it has killed up to 50% of crops in Canada.
We had an amazing patch. We needed to move it and some of the plants ended up in planters and in an area poor for rhubarb (well-meaning partner thought these were good spots). The weakened plants developed this problem at some point - unbeknownst to us - and were put back in the ground in a new area but with the same ideal conditions (soil, sun etc.). It was there they fully displayed the red leaf and began to really suffer. I identified the issue and have bought new plants and planted them in a different area, about 20' from the previous bed. My partner and I are not in agreement about this, as I don't think this is far enough away, but - I will wait and see. The bad part is if the new patch succumbs to the red leaf, now we will have 2 areas that we cannot plant rhubarb.
QUESTION: any ideas on soil treatment for this problem?? So far I cannot find a thing. Thanks.
QUESTION: any tips in addition to removal and destroying the deseased plants w regards to control and avoidance? Obviously keeping the plants as heathly as possible is key - but I am looking for experiential tips.
We are in zone 3 and as said - previously had an amazing patch - so we know rhubarb likes our location!
Thanks!
red leaf/bacterial soft rot on rhubarb
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!
Rhubarb dying?
We live in the midwest and have had our rhubarb for approximately 5 years. Last year we had a great crop. But this year it looked really great then we had a lot of rain and the wind blew and now it is brown and yellow and the stalks look like they are woody, ( I can send a picture if you like) Usually it is putting off seed pods by now, we are harvesting and freezing it and making rhubarb pie by now! What happened?
Rhubarb with yellowing leaves in container
I'm relatively new to growing rhubarb and live in SE PA. I planted 1 plant from a 1 gallon pot into a larger whiskey barrel style container. I planted it in Miracle Grow moisture control soil. It was doing great for a while putting up quite a few new stalks after. Earlier this week, we had a heat wave. I made sure to give the container some water at night (watering can) after the sun was off it, but since the heat wave, I had 1 leaf yellow and then die now followed by another leaf that has gone completely yellow... The stalks are all relatively thin, but I know this is a new plant and didn't want to go crazy freaking out about it, but I also don't want it to die. The plant gets full morning sun and then part shade/part sun in the afternoon when it is the hottest out. Being that it's in a container rather than in the ground (yard constraints), I thought it would be better than being in full sun. I checked the pot last night and it isn't light, but it isn't heavy like the soil is having difficulty draining (what a normal barrel should feel like). Could someone help me figure out what I need to do to get my plant healthier again? Do I need to give it more food? More/less water? Thanks in advance and please help
rhubarb in a barrel
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!)
Pages