Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Rhubarb
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Planting
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.
When to Plant Rhubarb
- Rhubarb can be planted in late fall or early spring.
- Plant rhubarb crowns after dormancy have 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.
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 a 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.
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’
Cooking Notes
Check out our list of best rhubarb recipes to put your fresh rhubarb to good use! Plus, learn how to make a rhubarb tonic.
Catherine Boeckmann
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Hi, I have tried growing rhubarb in a large pot but not much success it grows but is very thin.
It’s in the sun I water it well i did use chicken pellet manure that didn’t help.Is there a liquid fertiliser I could use?
How old is the plant? If this is its first year (or first full year), it may be just getting settled. Rhubarb is a heavy feeder (likes composted, organic material) but could it be that you have too much of a good thing? Is there soil mixed in with the chicken pellets? If so, do you know the pH of the soil? If the pH is too low (limey/sour), the rhubarb will not thrive. We wouldn’t add any more fertilizer, certainly not liquid at this time. Remember, too, that its season is late spring, so it is past its prime for this year (being late July) and may be in its natural seasonal decline, in preparation for winter dormancy.
I am in the UK, under going the hottest summer since 1976. Have grown rhubarb for years. Recently ordered new plants from well established plant company expecting them to arrive later in the season.
They arrived yesterday, 24 July, fully leafed and a bit bedragled. They have
revived over night but my conumdrum is should I plant them now or leave them in the pots and plant them in the autumn as your planting calendar suggests? Jenny. Thanks
We would opt for autumn, Jenny, if you can keep the plants in relatively good condition. They may begin their seasonal decline into dormancy—that is, appear to fail to thrive—but should transplant successfully. (in advance of any problems, you might share your expectations with the company from which you purchased the plants…just in case you need/want a replacement.)
I am also in the UK but in the north and would advise to plant as soon as you get the rhubarb plants. This year I have had a bumper crop
without doing anything at all and am just about to pull the remaining stalks and throw them out. Best to just leave it alone
and let it multiply. I have no more room left in freezer for mine this year it did so well. No need to feed it but requires plenty
of rain which we usually have here.
Hi there! We just moved into a house with a large rhubarb patch. Not sure how old/established it is, but at least a couple of years (probably more). We harvested some good sized stalks earlier this year, but now noticing that there are numerous, spindly stalks. It's been hot, now early July, so I'm not sure if I need to split the plant in the fall, or just let it rest for the month? Any advice is appreciated!
Thanks
Remove the tall spindly stalks now. They stuck the nutrients out of your Rhubarb patch. Never allow that to grow in your garden.
Is this common? Our neighbour gave us a nice clump of rhubarb to plant a few years ago. That first year it flowered, but has not flowered since (maybe 3 years?). Does this plant require another nearby?
A rhubarb plant can flower for a few reasons—certain varieties flower more often, and the older the plant is, the more often it may flower. Flowering can also be a sign of stress, such as perhaps was the case when you had first planted it (I’m guessing the transplant was a relatively older plant, not a baby). Warm temperatures may also cause it to flower. Many gardeners prefer to remove the flower stalks as they appear so that the plant can focus on developing leaves and leaf stalks. The fact that your plant hasn’t flowered since planting may indicate that it is happy and healthy! As it gets older, you may see some flowers develop again.
I have several plants that I took from my mother's house after she passed. They are in pots now and I have had them a couple years now. When do they go dormant and when is the best time to plant into the ground?
