Rhubarb

Category: perennial-shoots-and-stalks

Growing

  • 📍 Zone: 3-8
  • 🌞 Sun: Full sun preferred, but partial shade tolerated
  • 💧 Water: Moderate to high; keep soil consistently moist especially during dry periods
  • 🌱 Soil: Neutral pH, well-drained, fertile, rich in organic matter

Planting

  • 📏 Height: 2-3 feet
  • 📏 Spacing: 2-3 feet apart, rows 3-4 feet apart
  • 📅 When To Plant: Plant crowns in fall or in early spring while still dormant
  • 🌱 Propagation: Division of crowns; can also be grown from seed but less common for home gardens
  • ⬇️ Depth: Plant crowns so buds are about 1-2 inches below soil surface
  • 🤝 Companion:
    • 0: Mint
    • 1: Marigolds
    • 2: Onions
    • 3: Beets
    • 4: Chives
    • 5: Beans
    • 6: Asparagus
    • 7: Strawberries
  • 🚫 Avoid Planting Near:
    • 0: Melons
    • 1: Pumpkins
    • 2: Cucumbers
    • 3: Tomatoes

Care & Maintenance

  • ✂️ Pruning: Remove any seed stalks as soon as they appear to direct energy back into the plant
  • ❄️ Overwintering: Remove all plant debris in fall to reduce pest and disease risk; cover crown with mulch after ground freezes to protect from harsh temperatures

Harvesting & Usage

  • ⏰ When To Harvest: Skip harvest in first year to allow establishment; begin in second year when stalks are 12-18 inches long; stop harvesting when stalks become thin (smaller than a finger)
  • ✋ How To Harvest: Grasp stalk at base and gently twist and pull away from plant; if necessary, cut cleanly at base with a knife; always leave at least 2 stalks on plant
  • 🥫 Preservation: Stalks can be frozen, canned, or dried for later use
  • Edible Toxic: Stalks are edible; leaves are toxic and should not be consumed (contain oxalic acid)

Ecological Info

  • 🐝 Pollinators:
    • 0: Flowers (if allowed to develop) may attract bees and other small insects, but rhubarb is grown for stalks not pollination
  • 🦌 Wildlife Resistance:
    • 0: Generally unbothered by deer and rabbits due to leaf toxicity