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Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Rhubarb
Check out our list of best rhubarb recipes to put your fresh rhubarb to good use! Plus, learn how to make a rhubarb tonic.
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Hi, I would like to transplant my rhubarb plants. I believe they are 2 and 3 years old. They are starting to come up out of the ground right now. What is the best way to do this and can the stalks still be picked this year? Thank you,
Karen
Hi Karen,
If the soil is workable, you will want to dig up your rhubarb plants as soon as possible because transplanting/dividing in the spring should be done just as new growth emerges.
While you typically don’t divide rhubarb until your plants are 4 or 5 years old, if your plants are large enough to divide, this could be a good time to do that considering you will already be digging them up.
A good idea is to have the hole for your rhubarb plants already dug before removing from your current location as you want to replant rhubarb as soon as possible. Your plants may exhibit signs of shock from the move, but rhubarb is resilient and should bounce back. If that’s the case, you should be able to harvest them this year but you will just have to wait and see how they respond to the move.
Hope this helps!
Even though it’s late February, we’ve been having almost April weather in the mid to upper 60s days and 30-40 at night. My rhubarb is coming into the 2nd year now and I’m hoping I’ll be able to harvest this year. I mulched well last fall and have already applied some 10-10-10 fertilizer a couple weeks ago. Should I be starting to water the plants again yet. We haven’t had much snow or rain yet for several weeks.
Hi Mike,
If you started with plants from a garden center or a division, you should be able to harvest your rhubarb this growing season. If you started from seed, you should wait until its third season to harvest.
You want to be careful to not overwater your rhubarb because the crowns can rot in wet soil. While it has not rained or snowed for several weeks, you will want to check to see if the soil is dry before watering. Depending on the level of precipitation your area has received during the winter months, it is likely that the ground has retained moisture and watering will not be needed. A good rule of thumb is to water to a depth of one inch during the growing season, but since it is so early watering at this point is likely not necessary.
My mom got her rhubarb plant crowns from her grandmother when she was getting married. My mom just turned 91 years old, and that rhubarb still grows!
I have to dig my rhubarb plants to move with us. How is the best way to store them over winter?
While you should divide/transplant rhubarb plants every 4 or 5 years, it is best to return your plants or divisions to ground conditions as soon as possible.
Since that is not possible, you can replant them in a large container and place them in a cool, dark area such as a garage or basement if it will give the plants the necessary environment for winter dormancy. Pay attention to the plant during the winter months to monitor its condition. You will want to replant them in the spring as soon as the soil in workable.
We bought our house in Minnesota in 1976. There was a small rhubarb plant on the west side of the garage. We moved it on the south side of the house where it’s in full sunlight and have enjoyed it very much. Make rhubarb crunch, jam and muffins from it. Cut off the seeds when we see them a little fertilizer in the spring it’s growing strong.
I bought Rhubarb seed from Tractor Supply earlier this year. I live near Knoxville TN and I know that it's too late in the season to
plant my rhubarb outside. Do you have any tips on storage before I plant it in the fall? Do I need to store it in the fridge? Is it best
to start the rhubarb seed in small pots inside and transplant later this fall?
Thank you,
Mary A Foster
You should store your seeds in a cool, dark location until you are ready to plant.
It is best to start rhubarb seeds indoors but you will want to wait and time it to transplant them outdoors in the spring. You want to start your seeds indoors about 6 weeks (February/early March) before your last frost date in the spring and then transplant them to your garden. It is also important to harden off your young plants for at least a week before planting them in the ground.