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Rhubarb
Rheum rhabarbarum
Plant a crown, ignore it for a decade, harvest every spring.
Sun
Full sun to part shade
Water
Deep weekly in dry summer
Soil
Very rich, well-drained, pH 6.0–7.0
Spacing
1 m apart
Days to harvest
1st real harvest year 2
Hardiness
Zones 3–8
Seasonal Calendar
S
S
H
H
H
H
S
S
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Sow Harvest
The method
- 1
Plant crowns high
Set with the growing bud just at soil level — burying it causes rot.
- 2
Do not harvest year 1
Let the plant build up. Take a light crop year 2, full crop year 3.
- 3
Force for tender stems
Cover an established crown with a tall bucket in January to blanch pale, sweet stems.
- 4
Pull, don't cut
Grip low and twist — stems come away cleanly. Never eat the leaves.
Common problems
Crown rot
Improve drainage; replant crowns higher.
Thin, weak stems
Feed heavily in autumn with well-rotted manure — rhubarb is a gross feeder.
Good neighbors
CabbageGarlicOnion
Field tips
- “Divide crowns every 5–6 years in winter for a bigger patch.”
- “Never harvest after July — leave the plant to recharge for next year.”