Growing Rhubarb

Rheum rhabarbarum : Polygonaceae / the dock family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
      P                

(Best months for growing Rhubarb in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • P = Plant crowns
  • Easy to grow. Plant pieces of rhizome or roots 8 - 10 cm (3 - 4 in.) deep. Best planted at soil temperatures between 5°C and 20°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 90 cm apart
  • Harvest in approximately 1 years. You will have a stronger plant if you leave it for about a year before using..
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Brassicas (Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, etc)

Your comments and tips

08 Oct 19, anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Last night I read wilt is a condition in the soil near impossible to treat. Suggestion don't grow rhubarb in wet damp soil, have good draining soil. It could be an iron deficient. If you have wilt pull the plants out and destroy. Don't grow that crop in that garden bed for 4 years. Use crop rotation. I may have more info tomorrow about using Dettol.
09 Oct 19, anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Try a cap full of Dettol in 4.5l of water and put on the soil around the plants.See how that goes.
14 Sep 19, Yvonne Rule (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Do you know where nz can you buy terracotta rhubarb forcers Thanks Yvonne
16 Sep 19, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Try googling it.
30 Aug 19, Katharin (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Harvesting notes say do not harvest rhubarb until a year old ! So what does that mean ? ie if I buy plants from garden centre I’m guessing already a year old ??? Maybe . Or does it mean once a crown is planted in my garden leave for first year . I have planted crowns given to me but didn’t do well so have moved ... now looking better , I have a variety of plants from garden centres , markets etc . I’m confused as too what year I can start harvesting. Some of it this season we hope ... how will we know . ?
03 Sep 19, anon (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
I have not seen rhubarb growing for 50+ years but I would guess it depends on the size of the crown and how fat/big and healthy the stalks/crown looks. I bought asparagus crowns - about 50mm diameter - how old probably 6-9 mths. I grew some from seed and at 12 mths they were 150mm dia. Judge by how good the plant looks.
26 Jul 19, Paula Mitchell (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Can I grow some rhubarb plant s in Brisbane now
29 Jul 19, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Gardenate does say plant Sept. www.gardenate.com/plant/Rhubarb?zone=3
24 Jul 19, John Clark (Australia - temperate climate)
Good afternoon, I am finding that my rhubarb stalks are growing very thin and weak shoots/stalks instead of the thicker stalk as one would normally expect. I don't think it is solely related to the cold weather only. may be too much fertilizer as I once read. Any thoughts would be appreciated. I assume you would use e-mail in your response. Thank you John Clark
29 Jul 19, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
If the plant is old might cause this I have read.
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