Rhubarb is a perennial vegetable, though it is generally used as a fruit in desserts and jams. Here’s how to plant, grow, and harvest your own rhubarb.
Of the rhubarb plant, only the stalks are eaten. These have a rich, tart flavor. The leaves of the rhubarb plant are poisonous, so be sure that they are not ingested. Rhubarb is easy to grow, but needs cool weather to thrive.
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What your son has is an
What your son has is an ornamental rhubarb, grown for its large leafy display. They almost look tropical in size. Lucky him!
I'm in zone 5, and lost mine after a particularly hard winter.
Flowers in rhubarb
I recently read that those flowers should simply be cut out, down to the base, so that the energy gets redirected to producing stalks to harvest.
Dividing plants
I've promised a plant to my friend for a couple of years and didn't know to divide it when dormant. I've missed it again this spring. Is there any chance I could divide it now anyway? I don't want to keep her waitin g AGAIN!!
Wait Till I Take My Nap, Will Ya?
Hi, Robin: It’s really best to wait until rhubarb is dormant or just coming out of dormancy before dividing. That being said, if this were some sort of emergency situation, we would probably try it if we had really robust plants that might withstand the shock. But not much would then happen this year anyway, so why not wait? As a matter of fact, you can tell your friend that we advised you to wait one more year, just to make sure that she gets the very best plants possible, as such a good friend truly deserves! Thanks for asking, good luck, and save a piece of pie for us! We’ll be right over.
Rhubarb
Can wood mulch ,such as cypress, be used instead of straw?
Rhubarb
we live in southeast Va and my husband being from Wisconsin wants to grow Rhubarb. Our temps average well over 75 in summer so my question is how can he grow rhubarb here. we have tried the last 2 years with no success but he doesn't want to give up. HELP
Rhubarb
Not sure if I did this right, but I am from Minnesota and I too wanted ssome in my yard. Last Sept. I was back "home" and my sister in law gve me some roots. They were in some dirt on the plane and we did not get them in the ground or 5 days. After 32-4 weeks I got 3-5 stalks on each root that I planted. They die off with winter but right now they have healthy stalks an the leaves are getting broader. I did plant them in some sunny areas with no soil prep and no fertilizers added. Hope this helps.
Snow on rhubarb plant
We had a 1 1/2 inch snow yesterday on plants that are 1-2 feet tall. Do I need to cut all the stalks down or only the stalks that show possible frost damage on the leaves ? I am not sure what to do. Thank you.
cold damage
Rhubarb usually can tolerate temperatures in the low 30s, even upper 20s (degrees F), but can suffer damage below that. As you know, 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. To be on the safest side, you can cut all stalks down regardless of whether they show signs of damage, and wait for the plant to recover and start new growth. However, some sources say that that might not be necessary. If you wish, you can wait a few days to see if any damage becomes evident, then discard only the affected leaves and stalks. Otherwise, if your plants do not show any sign of damage, and the stalks are firm and upright, some sources indicate that these healthy-looking stalks should be fine to harvest. For more information, you might visit:
https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/1997/5-2-1997/rhubarbsafe.html
https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/lamourecountyextension/frosted-rhubarb
http://web.extension.illinois.edu/state/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=30622
starting rhubard indoors
I bought 4 rhubarb plants, potted them individually, 3 are growing, 1 died. They are getting very tall and falling over, then the leaves begin to wilt, do they need to be cut back? Its still to cold to put them in garden, 4 x 4 raised beds or on sloping hill side garden. Not quite sure what to do.
strange growth on rhubarb
In the middle of my rhubarb plants, there is a one smaller then the others, the leaves are not as big and are wrinkled. In the middle of the leaves is a round thing, looks simpler to a calliflower. Do you know what it could be?
Rubarb blooms
That's a flowering bloom. You don't need it, in fact, it's alright to cut it out so that the plant will focus on growing stalks.
Rhubarb
I have a rhubarb plant growing in a 4x8 raised bed that survived through our winter here in Oregon and is growing very large. This bed will be exposed to full sun whenever it is not overcast or raining, lol!
My question is - are there any other vegetables that would do well as a companion to the rhubarb in this bed? Or, are there any that should NOT be planted near rhubarb?
Thank you in advance.
rhubarb companions
Rhubarb does well on its own, but plants that can grow nearby include strawberries, asparagus, horseradish. Onions and garlic do well, too, and any member of the brassica family, such as cabbage, kale, etc. Peppers are said to do well, too. You might avoid planting legumes nearby, as they may attract tarnished plant bug. Hope this helps!
Protect from freezing?
It's early April , trhubarb is growing vigorously and the weatherman is calling for a freeze tonight. Do I need toi protect my rhubarb. Thanks!
spring frosts
It depends on how bad a freeze. Rhubarb usually can tolerate temperatures in the low 30s, even upper 20s (degrees F), but can suffer damage below that. To be on the safe side, protect your plant overnight. You have to be careful about rhubarb, because if the leaves suffer frost damage, the oxalic acid from the leaves may filter into the stalks, making them toxic as well. Signs of frost damage are blackened, shriveled leaves and limp stalks. If you see this, discard the affected leaves and stalks.
Rhubarb
Thanks for all the recipes & comments. This plant can also be eaten raw. It grows back really well in the Sprintime here in Utah. It reminds me of my childhood when my mom always grew it..
Ruhbarb
I live in texas and during the summer it gets really hot if I plant this in planters would it be ok and because we really don't freeze here in the ground would a planter have a batter chance of freezing. I could bring them in doors during the summer heat and outside during the winter months. What do you think? I have also heard you should not eat it after the 4th of July is this true?
Rhubarb.
There is one variety that is more heat tolerant. Im in NC and grow it in mostly shady part of the garden because of the heat we've had. Valentine rhubarb is the variety.
Mild winter
We have had a crazy warm winter and it hass been as much as 60 degrees here with not much snow. So here it is the 9th of March and my rhubarb is sprouting up and it is going to get back down to 12 degrees and snow. Can I cover with some wood shavings? Do I need to cover?
Got You Covered
Hi, Lori: Good thinking! Yes, protect those young sprouts with wood shavings, plastic, straw, or even old blankets–anything to trap Earth’s heat! Thanks for asking!
Rhubarb
I have had my Rhubarb in for a couple of years. I get plenty of stalks but they never turn red. Am i doing something wrong or are they OK to eat. someone told me there a \rhubarb that is green. Please Help.
Kindest Regards, Tom
rhubarb colors
Tom, rhubarb is available as both red and green varieties; for red, you have to get a true red one (even those so named are not necessarily). The good news is that both—all, apparently some gardeners have experienced a mottled combo of colors—are edible. The green stalks may not be as tangy as the red but they are perfectly fine for eating.
First Spring?
Article says "After the first spring ..."
We only have one Spring here in the Pacific NW.
I context, it appears you mean something like "At the first sign of Spring ..." Is that accurate?
first spring frost
Although it can be read either way, the sentence was meant to be read as “After the first [spring frost]” rather than “After the [first spring] frost.” There is often more than one frost in early spring, so the article is suggesting to apply fertilizer some time after that first frost during spring, when the ground is thawing or has just thawed, but before growth starts. Hope this helps!
Hi I was some rhubarb crowns
Hi, I was given some rhubarb crowns by my aunty a few months ago and it's the first time I've ever tried growing it. Do I need to cut it back for the winter?
After the growing season,
After the growing season, remove any dead leaves and stems. (Do not harvest any stalks for eating that have experienced a freeze, as the toxic chemicals in the leaves may leak into the stalks.) Once your ground freezes, it’s best to add 2 to 4 inches of mulch, preferably well-rotted compost, around the crowns; by adding nitrogen to the soil, you’re preparing the rhubarb plants for a good spring season. Some gardeners prefer to keep the actual crowns exposed to winter weather, as the crowns are prone to rot. However, others cover them, such as with 8 to 12 inches of straw, to insulate them. It will depend on your climate and preference. Note: If you live in an area that does not experience freezes (such as parts of Florida), it is easiest to treat rhubarb as an annual and buy a new plant each year, due to the chilling requirement.
What anamil eats rhubrab leaves?
I have no issue growing great rhubarb, without any care at all but weeding. This AM I woke to find that some animal had eaten nearly every leaf off of my large plant. When I read up on this, all literature says that this is not possible, as the leaves are poisonous. What animal could do this and how can I prevent it happening again?
rhubarb leaves
Some gardeners have had problems with deer, and sometimes raccoons, eating rhubarb leaves. In large quantities, though, the leaves can make them ill or can even kill them.
For ways to discourage raccoons, see: http://www.almanac.com/pest/raccoons
To discourage deer, see: http://www.almanac.com/pest/deer
Good luck!
Container Rhubarb and Hydroponic Nutrient feed
Please refer entry March 3, 2016.
Well now. Winter is over, and what a mild one we had.
I cut down a barrel sufficient to hold 50 liter of Thrive potting mix, - long term slow-release fertiliser, the same as I did last year, 2015/16. So the rhubarb is receiving the double-dose of food until the Thrive nutrient is used.
I will not use the term forced-feeding. If one uses compost or whatever, the nutrients must be leached out in a soluble form for the plant to use it. One could say that plants could be on a starvation diet if only left to Mother Nature to provide the moisture to release the nutrient. The plant will only take-up what it needs. Plants can take-up moisture only, without food, so that it can transpire in hot weather. All plants take-up the nutrients in a soluble form, so that supplying hydroponic nutrient means that it doesn’t have to wait for the next downpour of rain or until you get around to turning the hose on.
Last year I picked over 180 stalks, over 8kg, (advice is not to pick in the first year) and before the winter set-in, there were 9 buds that I could see for the coming season, 2016/17. The plant built itself up with the instant food available, and this growing season, it is developing well.
They say to only pick sparingly in the second year. My first pick of this season was on Saturday, October 8th, 2016. 6 stalks, 375grams, cut ready to cook. I have just counted and there are more than 20 stalks growing strongly and more coming on. Am I going to pick sparingly with 5 months of growing yet to come? Not likely! Last year’s pick of 8kg only gives one feed per week, so I am looking for a greater return this year.
Soluble hydroponic feed would also be beneficial for soil-grown rhubarb. As the moisture drains through the soil past the plant roots, it would be a tasty snack, a treat, a pick-me-up for any plant. So far, I am thrilled with the results of container rhubarb growing and hydroponic nutrient solution.
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