Rhubarb: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
How do you sow rhubarb outdoors?
Sow your rhubarb outdoors in spring when the soil is workable and conditions allow steady germination. Seedlings may differ from their parent, so dividing a healthy clump is more suitable if you need to preserve an exact variety. Expect slower establishment than with a plant that already has a strong root system.
Prepare a small seedbed in sun or light shade with fertile, well-drained soil. Remove weeds and large clods, then make a fine surface. Draw a drill and sow about 2 to 3 cm deep, following the packet’s instructions. Cover, firm lightly and water gently without washing the seeds away.
Keep the soil moist, without puddles or complete drying out. Once seedlings are clearly visible, thin to leave about 15 cm between vigorous plants. You do not need to reserve a metre for every seed at the start. Weed carefully and watch for slugs on tender leaves. When the young plants are sufficiently developed, move them with their roots to their final position, generally 75 to 90 cm apart depending on the variety. Allow them to establish and build reserves before harvesting any leaf stalks.
How do you plant rhubarb?
Plant your potted rhubarb preferably in spring or autumn, avoiding frozen or waterlogged ground and very hot spells. For a bare-root crown or a divided piece, choose the dormant season and plant promptly after receiving it. A division needs roots and at least one healthy bud.
Choose sun or light shade and fertile soil that holds moisture without remaining saturated. Weed thoroughly and add mature compost if needed. Generally allow 75 to 90 cm between plants, adjusted to the variety. In very wet soil, choose a raised position or a large container with good drainage instead.
Dig a hole slightly wider than the roots or root ball. Set the plant with the point where leaf stalks emerge just above the soil. Fill in without burying the buds, firm gently and water to settle soil around the roots. Mulch nearby while keeping the centre clear. Monitor moisture throughout the first season, especially in dry weather. Let the new plant build reserves without harvesting during its first year, then take only a few stalks the following year.
How to care for this plant
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Maintain the mulch
In spring, top up the mulch around the clump if needed with well-rotted organic matter. Do not cover the crown where the new shoots emerge.
When do you harvest rhubarb?
Harvest your rhubarb only once the clump is strong enough. Take nothing during the first year after planting and only a few stalks the following year. On an established plant, harvest mainly in spring and early summer, depending on variety and climate. A weak or drought-stressed clump needs to keep its leaves to rebuild reserves.
Choose firm, well-developed leaf stalks. Hold one near its base, then detach it with a gentle pull and slight twist without tearing out the centre of the plant. If it resists, do not force it enough to damage neighbouring buds. Spread your picking around the clump and take no more than about a third of the stalks at once from a mature plant.
Remove the leaf blade immediately: that part is not edible. Keep only sound stalks for cooking. Refrigerate them for use soon, protecting them from drying out, and check their condition regularly. To freeze them, wash, cut into pieces and use a suitable container. Stop regular picking early enough to give the plant a long period of leafy growth before dormancy.
Rhubarb
- Type : Perennial vegetables
- Subtype : Leafy vegetables
- Botanical Family : Polygonaceae
Characteristics
- Lifecycle : Perennial
- Exposure : Partial Shade
- Frost Hardiness : Frost Resistant
- Cultivation Difficulty : Easy
- Mature height : 90 cm
Sowing & Planting
- Greenhouse Growing : Not Required
- Plant Spacing : 100 cm
- Row Spacing : 100 cm
Maintenance
- Maintenance : Moderate
- Water Requirements : Moderate
Other characteristics
- Soil Type : Humus-rich
- Soil pH Preference : Neutral
- Pest Sensitivity : Moderate
- Disease Sensitivity : Moderate
- Weed Sensitivity : Low
- Pollination : Insect-pollinated
- Propagation : Division