How to grow Rhubarb

How to grow Rhubarb - Description

• Although rhubarb is typically eaten as a dessert, it is actually a vegetable since the fruits are not eaten.

• Originating from Siberia, rhubarb is completely hardy - in fact exposure to frost is essential during the winter if it is to grow to its best.

• Rhubarb is an ultra-low maintenance perennial crop and can be left completely to its own devices all year, however for best results a little effort goes a long way.

• Its crop is produced from crowns consisting of fleshy rhizomes and buds.

• Following a season of growth the rhubarb crown becomes dormant and temperatures below 5 °C (40 °F ) are required to stimulate bud break and subsequent growth.

• The first shoots to appear in the spring are edible petioles and leaves.

• These emerge sequentially as long as temperatures remain cool, i.e. below 32 °C (90 °F).

• As temperatures increase, top growth is suppressed, even appearing dormant in periods of extreme heat.

• With declining temperatures in later summer, foliage growth resumes.

• Growing Rhubarb is relatively simple in cool climates and unlke most vegetables rhubarb is a perennial and so can be left in the ground and will return a crop for many years (around 10 to 15 years).

• Rhubarb is quite a hardy crop and is able to withstand lack of water.

• Apart from applying fertiliser rhubarb will survive and produce good yields with little other tending.

How to grow Rhubarb - Crop Rotation

• Rhubarb requires a permanent site outside the rotation system.

• Rhubarb it is a member of the Beetroot Family and it is recommended that it should not be grown in soil that has raised a crop of the same family in the last three years.

How to grow Rhubarb - Site & Soil

• Rhubarb will grow well in part shaded areas.

• Rhubarb does not grow well in high temperatures.

• Avoid positioning in frost pockets.

• Rhubarb can be grown in acidic soils down to about pH 5.0 but grows best in slightly acidic soil i.e. pH 6.0 - 6.8.

• Rhubarb tolerates most soils but grows best on fertile, well-drained soils that are high in organic matter, such as well rotted manure or compost.

• If the soil is not well drained then waterlogging can result in the crowns rotting.

How to grow Rhubarb - Soil Preparation

• It is advisable and worth the effort to prepare the soil adequately before planting as the rhubarb will rely on the soil for a number of years to come, not just this year.

• Dig the soil to a good depth and introduce a high level of well rotted organic matter such as manure or compost into the soil to provide nutrients and a good soil structure.

• Do this about a month before planting to allow time for the soil to consolidate.

• Make sure to remove as many weeds as possible as rhubarb doesn't like to be disturbed once established and so avoiding heavy weeding at a later stage is preferable.

How to grow Rhubarb - Cuttings & Offsets

• Rhubarb is best grown from rhubarb crowns rather than growing from seed.

• Rhubarb should be planted in early spring and requires low temperatures (around 40 deg F) for it to break its winter dormancy and renew growth.

• Crowns should be planted about 10cm below the soil surface with the crown bud about 2 inches below the soil surface.

• Any young shoots that exist should just break the soil surface.

• Spacing of the crowns will depend on variety but around 60-80cm is right for many varieties such as the popular Victoria.

How to grow Rhubarb - Cultivation

• Rhubarb responds to good care and watering.

• Remove the flower stalks as they are seen.

• Fertilize each year and cultivate shallowly as often as necessary to remove weeds.

• Rhubarb responds well to fertilizers.

  • The quality of the crop harvested depends to a large extent on the care and fertilization received.

  • Give each plant 1 cup (about 2 handful's) of Growmore (7-7-7) fertilizer, or Blood Fish and Bone if you want to stay organic, each spring applied in a circle around the plant when growth starts.

• Manure is an extremely valuable source of organic matter as it helps to conserve moisture, preserves the soil structure, and makes nutrients readily available.

  • Apply one to two shovels per plant for home gardeners.

  • An application of composted manure or leaves is beneficial in late autumn and early winter, but do not cover the crowns as this may promote rotting.

  • Fresh manure should not be used as this will burn the tender rhubarb plants.

• A severe frost will have a damaging effect on rhubarb and may cause the oxalic acid from the leaves to enter the stalks.

  • For this reason you should remove any stalks that have been effected by a hard frost and place them on the compost heap.

  • The oxalic acid will be broken down successfully by decomposition on your compost heap.

• You may want to thin your crowns every 4-5 years if they are getting overcrowded or you wish to use part of the crown to start another plant.

  • To do this carefully dig up the crown and then divide the crown into sections ensureing that you have at least one bud and two inched of root on each section.

  • You can normally obtain about 4 to 8 new root sections from a crown.

  • Rhubarb crowns should be split in early spring when new growth is just visible.

How to grow Rhubarb - Harvesting

• Harvest rhubarb either by cutting the stems at soil level or by pulling up the stems.

• You can harvest about 3 or 4 stems at a time per plant whilst leaving some stems remaining to generate the plants energy and growth reserves.

• Do not harvest the plant in the first year as the nutrients produced by the leaves should be channelled back into the roots to ensure a strong root system for stem production in the following years growth.

• In the second year harvest a couple of stalks per plant and after that you can harvest as normal.

• The harvesting season can be extended by 'forcing' the rhubarb.

  • Rhubarb can be forced in winter by covering the crowns with large pots which prevent light reaching the crowns.

  • Forcing can be helped by adding straw or heat producing fresh horse manure inside the pot (but not directly on the crown).

• Do not eat the rhubarb leaves as they contain high levels of oxalic acid which is toxic.

• To promote more vigourous growth the next growing season do not harvest all the leaf stalks.

How to grow Rhubarb - Kitchen Notes

• Used in combination with sugar - in crumbles, yoghurts, pies, trifles, fool or just with custard, Rhubarb is a very popular home grown vegetable.

• Do not eat the rhubarb leaves or roots as they contain oxalic acid which is poisonous.