Growing Rhubarb

Rhubarb is a cool-season perennial vegetable that thrives in sunny locations with well-drained soil and requires regular watering and feeding. It's relatively easy to grow from crowns (root divisions) or seeds, with crowns being the more common and faster method. Rhubarb plants can be quite large, so spacing them 3-4 feet apart is recommended.

How to Plant

Rhubarb is usually grown by planting a piece of a crown. The crown is where the plant stem meets the roots and where new leaf growth begins each year. You can buy these pieces or get them from someone who has an older rhubarb plant that has been divided.

To plant, dig a hole 12 inches deep and wide. Add some compost and partially fill the hole back up with soil as needed. Plant so that the crowns are one inch below the soil surface. Be sure to place them with the bud side up. [Do not cover the bud which has papery-type covering.] Water well. Rhubarb grows best with additional nutrients. Consider adding compost around the crowns when you plant. Add a slow-release fertilizer once plants begin to grow each year

Harvesting

Rhubarb harvest is recommended in spring or early summer. Wait one year after planting for your first harvest. You can lightly harvest in the second year. In the third year and beyond, you should be able to harvest for eight to 10 weeks. In general, expect 2 to 3 pounds of stalks per mature plant per season.

To harvest, pull the whole stalk from the base using both hands; rock side to side and pull down as needed. Don’t cut the stalk, as this can introduce disease. Pick the largest, thickest stalks (ideally one inch in thickness). You can harvest half of the plant at one time. Leaves are poisonous to eat. Only the stalks should be eaten. Cut the leaves from the stalk and compost or discard.

Composting Rhubarb Leaves

It is generally safe to put rhubarb leaves in compost used for vegetables. While rhubarb leaves contain oxalic acid, which is toxic if ingested, this acid breaks down during the composting process. The decomposed leaves will not harm the soil or the plants grown in that compost. The oxalic acid in rhubarb leaves breaks down relatively quickly during the composting process, especially in a well-maintained pile; plus oxalic acid is not readily absorbed by plant roots. Therefore, it won't be taken up by the vegetables you're growing in the composted soil. Some people use them as mulch around the rhubarb plant.

Flower Stalks

Sometimes flowers will bloom from rhubarb plants. If you see this, remove the whole flower stalk to help the plant focus on growing leaf stalks.

Serving

Rhubarb is rich in vitamins C and K, as well as potassium, calcium, and fiber. Choose crisp rhubarb stalks. Remove leaves, wash stalks, and cut off the ends. [I like the ends. I do not cut these off - just remove any of the brown dry part.] If there are tough strings, you can remove these by lightly rubbing a knife down the length of the stalk.

You can eat rhubarb raw, but it is most often chopped and cooked. It is often combined with strawberries. Rhubarb jams, muffins, sauces, breads, cakes, and pies are all delicious. Most recipes will use sugar to balance its tart flavor. You can also roast it and even use it in savory dishes. Early spring stems offer the most flavor and tenderness; they're ideal for pies. Stems harvested later in the season tend to be tougher, so reserve them for stewing, sauces, or jams.

Clean up and ongoing care

In fall, mulch rhubarb with a few inches of straw or light mulch. Pull mulch slightly back from plants in spring for new leaves to grow through. Consider adding compost or a slow-release fertilizer in spring.

After four to five years of growth, you can divide your rhubarb crowns to give you more plants. You'll know it's time to divide when stems are crowded and thin. Divide when plants are dormant, in early spring or fall. Use a sharp shovel to slice and divide the crown and root system. Be sure to leave your original plant with at least five buds. Divide the rest into crown pieces with at least two or three buds per piece. Plant the pieces in new holes or give them to friends.