Rhubarb is a perennial vegetable famous for its tart-flavored pinkish-green stalks, though 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 stems from Asia, but was brought to Europe in the 1600s and 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 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 will produce for many years—five or more. For that reason, rhubarb should be planted in its own bed in any corner of the garden where it can grow undisturbed.
It grows well in soil enriched with plenty of well-rotted manure or compost, so some gardeners will even plant it near their compost bin!
Reader Comments
Leave a Comment
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.
Rubarb Plants
I HAVE HAD 3 CROPS OF RUBARB THIS YEAR. iT IS TALL, THICK AND BEAUTIFUL EVEN NOW. iS IT ALRIGHT TO USE IT NOW?
Wait a minute--NOT
Hi, Delores: Absolutely! Don’t waste a second! And thanks for asking!
rhubarb plant
My rhubard is growing very well with huge leaves and stem which are white is this okay and can they be eaten if not red. Is there a variety that is white.
rhubarb
How interesting! It sounds as if you have an old-time variety of rhubarb. Rhubarb does not have to be red. Some varieties are more green.
what is the variety that stems with white flowers
Do I need to gut the stems, they are hollow?
Actually i have a question
Actually i have a question .my rhubarb is growing .i 've never had this happen .is it safe to eat.
If you just planted it
if you just planted it, no, do not pick in the first year. Pick very little the second year and then the third year you can pick most of it. It is safe to eat the first year but it will not come back the second year.
please understand if you have
please understand if you have legit quality manuer soil, your plant can make like 3 years progress in like half a year, so u could harvest it, but if its too dry and bad soil, yep take you years.
Rhubard
My first year rhubard is 12 inchs high and leaves are 10 or more inches long or wide and stocks are 1 inch thick can I harvest some stocks. Ps can I winterize my rhubard plants in refridgeidire and how I live in Florida larry
Wilting rhubarb
I live in eastern PA & purchased a rhubarb plant from a nursery about a month and a half ago. It had 3 small stalks about 12 - 15 inches tall. I planted it a very large pot & it has grown to 17 stalks, the oldest of which are about 1-1/4 inch thick with 12 inch leaves. We had a lot of rain a few days ago. Yesterday this plant looked great. Today all but 4 of the stalks are laying over, they have lost their rigidity, and the leaves have curled. Is this a sign of too much water or not enough? Or what else might be happening to it, please?
harvesting rhubarb
Rhubarb stalks are usually harvested in the spring. Late April/May. You don’t usually want to harvest after July 4 so that the plant has time to create crown buds for next spring. Your stalks are well past harvest time. When harvest time is over, the stalks will begin to droop.
Rhubarb
Dear Farmer,
We live in Meridian (Boise) Idaho and our rhubarb plant(s) have grown 3-4 feet tall with humongous leaves but no red stalks each year for the last 3 years. Do the stalks have to be red before harvesting and eating them or what? I know the leaves are poisonous in large quantities and I'm not big on rhubarb pie anyway. Just wondering why our rhubarbs are so huge. They are now 3 years old. We chop them down to the base each winter and each spring they grow really fast -- and BIG. Any comments are welcome.
Question: When does one harvest spaghetti squash? i.e. how do you know when it is ready?
Thanks, Mr. and Ms. Almanac.
Harry Lear
Boise, Idaho
Why rhubarb bolts
Your rhubarb is reaching out for help! You need to give your rhubarb some TLC—and a boatload of rich composted manure. The plant is stressed. Get some as soon as possible and lay it around the plant. (Cut down the leaves and stalks and discard them.) Water the plant regularly. In a week or two lay on some more manure. Repeat for the next month or so. Dig in the manure a bit around/at the edge of the roots, without disturbing them. Have no illusions that the plant will produce this year; it will not. But it needs R&R (rest and recuperation) and a lot of love. Poor soil, depleted of nutrients could have enabled bugs to settle in.
Maybe you don’t like rhubarb pie… Here’s what I do: skip the crust, just make the filling. Cook rhubarb with strawberries or raspberries. There is nothing like it. Send any unused stalks to Mr and Ms Almanac.
As for the spaghetti squash, it’s ready when it acquires a deep solid color (yellow) and the rind is hard. Test with your thumb nail.
rhubarb problems
Apparently I have red leave rhubarb disease organisms in my yard. I planted rhubarb roots and the leaves almost immediately turned red and died. When I dug up the roots they were rotted. My next door neighbour has good rhubarb with no problems.
Transplanted Rhubarb
Can you use the rhubarb the first year when it's been transplanted to a different site. They are older plants just moved to a different site
relocated rhubarb
If rhubarb is relocated to another site, it might be best to not harvest during the growing season after you transplanted. Even though the plant is more mature than a young transplant, it still will be going through some transplant shock. The plant will need its leaves to make food and encourage root growth. However, if your plant looks very robust and healthy that first year, you might be OK in harvesting lightly.
Rhubarb frames
Was reading a book that mentioned rhubarb frames, wondering what this.
rhubarb frames
I am struggling to grow Rhubarb in Australia, have had more luck this time by baracading around the plant keeping off the heat in summer but still filtered sun , plenty compost and horse poo.
am i on the right path our winter low approx 11/6 F lowest / high 40/ F to nice average 25/28 F not ground temp with Fencing and tree cover thanks Bob
volunteer plant
i have a volunteer potato coming up from last year right next to (within a couple inches) of my newly planted rhubarb. Should I discard it?
Pages