Rhubarb will grow and produce on most soils, but grows best in fertile, well-drained soils that have good organic matter content. Careful soil preparation will help rhubarb stay healthy and productive for many years. The planting area should be cleared of any weeds, especially tough, hard-to-control perennial weeds.

Other considerations for a planting site for rhubarb include exposure and location. Earliness is favored by a southern exposure, free from shading trees or buildings. Since rhubarb is a perennial, it should be planted to one side or at the end of the garden so as not to interfere with planting and growing annual vegetables. The rhubarb plant has bold ornamental texture and size, and some gardeners find it suitable to include in a perennial flower border.

Rhubarb is generally purchased as crowns or divisions, rather than propagated from seed. Purchase rhubarb crowns from a local nursery, garden center, or from seed catalogs. Plant the crowns as soon as possible so they don’t dry out. Rhubarb crowns are best planted in early spring when the roots are still dormant or plants are just beginning to leaf out. Rhubarb can also be planted in the fall after dormancy has set in.

Each plant will require approximately one square yard of space. Loosen the soil to a depth of 10 inches. For each plant, prepare the soil by adding 3 to 4 inches of compost or well-aged manure and a handful of fertilizer that is relatively high in phosphorus and potassium, such as 5-10-10.

Cover the crowns with no more than an inch or two of soil. Planting rhubarb crowns too deep will delay production. Press the soil firmly around the roots and water well. As soil and air temperatures begin to warm, new buds will push up through the soil. Once the plants are up and growing, the addition of a 3- to 4-inch layer of clean straw, compost, or similar mulching material will help control weeds and conserve soil moisture for plant growth and development. Flower stalks should be removed as they appear, as they deplete reserves from the crown that supports vegetative growth.

HOME GARDENING WITH RHUBARB

Rhubarb is a cool season, perennial vegetable, grown for its leafstalks that have a unique tangy taste used for pies and sauces. Rhubarb was first cultivated more than 2,000 years ago in the Far East. Initially it was grown for medicinal purposes, and not until the 18th century was it grown for culinary use in Britain and America.

PLANTING & GROWING RHUBARB

Rhubarb requires winter temperatures below 40 degrees F to break dormancy and stimulate spring growth; and summer temperatures averaging less that 75 degrees for good vegetative growth. The tops are usually killed in the first heavy freeze in the fall, but roots survive and produce new tops the following spring. While the leafstalks are edible, the leaves themselves contain oxalic acid and should not be eaten.