When should I sow rhubarb?

In a typical UK garden, plant out late February to late March, and harvest late March to late June. Later in Scotland, the north and frost pockets; earlier in the south-west and near the coast.

How far apart should I plant rhubarb?

90 cm apart in the row, with rows 90 cm apart. In a square foot garden, that's 1 per 9 squares.

Rhubarb

Rheum × hybridum

In a typical UK garden, plant out late February to late March, and harvest late March to late June.

When to sow, plant and harvest

Frost dates

Last frost around 20 April, first frost around 31 October.

Plant out: late February to late Marchmid-October to late November
Harvest: late March to late June

Spacing: 90 cm apart, rows 90 cm apart
Square foot: 1 per 9 squares (30 cm squares)
Sowing depth: Grown from plants, sets or crowns
Ready in: 365 to 420 days from planting
Grows to: 90 cm
Hardiness: Hardy to about -20 °C
Sun: Copes with some shade
Crops for: Several years (perennial)

Growing tip

Leave it unpicked in its first year, and stop pulling stems by midsummer so the crown recovers.

Neighbours

Grows well with

Fruit are one crop rotation group. Try not to grow them where any of the family grew in the last two or three years. How crop rotation works

Guides

When to plant

Rhubarb crowns planted this winter give stems for years

Plant rhubarb crowns while they're dormant, from mid-October to late November or from late February to late March. Don't pick in the first year, pick lightly in the second, and from then on pull stems from late March to late June. A healthy crown crops for ten years or more.

More fruit

Where these figures come from

Every crop in VegLog was checked against published growing advice. Dates are worked out from average frost dates, so they shift with your garden. For rhubarb, we used:

Grow rhubarb with VegLog

Add rhubarb to a bed and VegLog reminds you when to sow, plant out and pick, timed to your own town's frost dates.