Growing Rhubarb

Rheum rhabarbarum : Polygonaceae / the dock family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
      P                

(Best months for growing Rhubarb in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • P = Plant crowns
  • Easy to grow. Plant pieces of rhizome or roots 8 - 10 cm (3 - 4 in.) deep. Best planted at soil temperatures between 41°F and 68°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 35 inches apart
  • Harvest in approximately 1 years. You will have a stronger plant if you leave it for about a year before using..
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Brassicas (Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, etc)

Your comments and tips

03 Mar 14, Deb Hallam (Australia - temperate climate)
I cook Rhubarb with a banana sometimes counteracts the tartness and lessens the need to add sugar. .
23 Jan 14, robin (Australia - temperate climate)
try cooking rhubarb with golden syrup and a bit of vanilla essence and of course some sugar but no where near as much if cooked without golden syrup. it takes the bite out.
12 Jan 14, Deb (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted 2 rhubarb crowns, 1 died and the other has grown well but the stalks are still green while the leaves are now dying. Can you pick and eat the green stalks before the whole thing dies.
19 Jan 14, Cynthia (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
The variety of yr rhubarb will dictate that. Some produce stems that remain green in colour ie do not turn red. Check your variety for its characteristics.
25 Dec 13, john r.wilson (Australia - temperate climate)
i have 4 plants they were planted [crowns]in september one has withered up one is starting to wither one is reasonable and the other is going from strength to strength they were all planted at the same time about 1 meter apart in the same bed our soil is quite sandy with plenty of organic fertilizer and is well mulched it is watered only with rain water from tanks.what am i doing wrong.
11 Dec 13, Judith (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I bought 2 rhubarb plants they were doing very well for a couple of months. Then 1 wilted and died A couple of weeks ago, now the other one is starting to do the same thing. Should I give it some chook pellets? I would hate this one to die. I love rhubarb. It is in a raised garden.
10 Dec 13, Gabrielle (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
I have a rhubarb plant that has grown lots of very large stalks with huge leaves. The stalks are red at the base but quite green for most of their length. How do I know when they are ready to harvest?
24 Mar 14, Colleen (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Rhubarb is ready to use whenever you feel it is big enough, it does not ripen as other crops.
12 Dec 16, Ken Thackeray (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Rhubarb seems to come in several varieties, almost all green stemmed to deep red. I have grown both types and as long as the stems are of a decent size they taste much the same when cooked. Delicious ! Just don't eat it too often, as rhubarb is very high in Oxalic Acid and can be toxic in large doses.
27 Jun 20, Grant Hackett (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
You can safely eat as much rhubarb stalks as you like, just don't eat the leaves, that is the part of the plant that is toxic but they are safe to compost
Showing 521 - 530 of 635 comments

When should I harvest the crop? The stalks have remained green , are they safe to eat?

- Trish

Please provide your email address if you are hoping for a reply


All comments are reviewed before displaying on the site, so your posting will not appear immediately

Gardenate App

Put Gardenate in your pocket. Get our app for iPhone, iPad or Android to add your own plants and record your plantings and harvests

Planting Reminders

Join 60,000+ gardeners who already use Gardenate and subscribe to the free Gardenate planting reminders email newsletter.


Home | Vegetables and herbs to plant | Climate zones | About Gardenate | Contact us | Privacy Policy

This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
We cannot help if you are overrun by giant slugs.