Rhubarb crowns planted this winter give stems for years
Short answer
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.
Rhubarb sowing calendar
From the VegLog crop library. Change the frost dates to match your garden.
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
Plant rhubarb crowns while they’re dormant, from mid-October to late November or from late February to late March. Autumn planting lets the roots settle in over winter, which gives a stronger plant in spring.
Rhubarb is a long-term crop. Plant it well once and it’ll give you stems every spring for ten years or more.
Choosing a spot
Rhubarb is happy in most gardens. It copes with some shade, though it grows best in sun, and it’s hardy to around -20 °C. What it hates is waterlogged soil in winter, which rots the crown.
Pick a spot you won’t need to dig, at the edge of a bed or in its own corner. A plant spreads to about 90 cm across, so give it that much space all round.
Planting a crown
- Dig a hole a little wider than the crown and fork plenty of well-rotted manure or compost into the bottom.
- Set the crown with its buds just at or slightly below the soil surface. Buried too deep, it may rot.
- Fill in, firm gently and water.
- Space crowns 90 cm apart if you’re planting more than one.
Pot-grown plants can go in at any time of year, as long as you water them through dry spells, but a dormant crown is cheaper and establishes well.
Garlic, onions and cabbages are said to grow happily nearby.
The first two years
Leave it unpicked in the first year. Every leaf is feeding the crown. In the second year, pull just a few stems. From the third year on, you can pick freely.
Each spring, mulch around the crown with compost or manure, keeping it off the buds. Water in dry spells in summer, and cut off any flower stalks as they appear.
Picking
Pick from late March to late June. Hold each stem near the base, twist and pull it away from the crown rather than cutting. Never take more than about a third to a half of the stems at once.
Stop picking by midsummer. The plant needs the rest of the year to recover and build up for next spring. Leave the leaves to die back in autumn.
Forcing for early stems
For pale, tender pink stems in February and March, cover an established crown in late winter with a forcing pot, a large bucket or a dustbin to block out the light. The stems are ready in four to six weeks. Don’t force the same crown two years running, as it needs time to recover.
Dividing old crowns
After five years or so, crowns get crowded and stems get thinner. In autumn or late winter, dig up the crown and split it with a spade into pieces, each with at least one good bud. Replant the healthiest outer pieces and throw away the old, woody centre.
For other autumn jobs, see what to plant in November. Set your own frost dates on the rhubarb page.
Questions people also ask
Why can't I pick rhubarb in its first year?
The plant needs all its leaves to build up the crown. Picking too early weakens it for years. Leave it alone in the first year and pick lightly in the second.
Are rhubarb leaves poisonous?
Yes. The leaves contain oxalic acid and shouldn't be eaten. They're fine on the compost heap.
Why is my rhubarb flowering?
Flowering is common in stressed or older plants, or after a dry spell. Cut the flower stalks off at the base as soon as you see them, so the plant puts its energy into stems.
Dates set to your own frost dates
VegLog works out sowing and planting times for your town, then reminds you when each job is due.
