Learn helpful tips how to grow rhubarb successfully from planting to harvesting in your garden so you can enjoy its fruit for years to come.
Rhubarb is a delicious fruit grown in Wisconsin. Many folks grow it alongside their homes, in gardens and containers.
My favorite memories of this plant include cutting these super tart stems and my mom making rich rhubarb pie. It’s no wonder why when I see it in the grocery store, I gravitate toward it to make my own recipes for my family.
Be sure to check out my fun but informative podcast on WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO – CENTRAL TIME – FOOD FRIDAY “CELEBRATING RHUBARB SEASON” HERE: https://www.wpr.org/food-friday-celebrating-rhubarb-season
It’s not difficult to grow your own rhubarb, however, there are some things you should remember when doing so:
1. Rhubarb’s large green leaves produce oxalic acid that’s poisonous to humans. You’ll want to remove and compost the leaves but keep the bi- or tri-colored stems.
DID YOU KNOW? Is rhubarb a fruit or vegetable? Fact: It’s considered both. Botanically, it is a vegetable. But in 1947, a New York court ruling decided that for all intensive purposes rhubarb would be regulated as a fruit–since the majority of people here in the U.S. treated it as a fruit. (Source: Wikipedia)
2. Rhubarb is a perennial that requires well-drained soil with plenty of sunshine.
3. This plant doesn’t like dry roots, so keep it moist by watering regularly. You can also use bark mulch to will help with this task.
Can’t get a hold of rhubarb? Then grow it yourself with Heirloom Seeds by David’s Garden.
4. You’ll get the best results if the ground where you live freezes in winter (Zone 7+). Warm temperatures won’t do.
5. This is a hardy plant that needs plenty of room to grow (think 4-5 feet wide). And, you’ll only need to divide it every 5-10 years in the spring or fall–when dormant.
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6. Should any flowers sprout at the base of the stalk, remove these, as they take away energy from the main plant.
7. Best time to rhubarb (one-year) crowns in spring once the ground has thawed a bit.
8. Because rhubarb has a large root system, keep this in mind when planting in containers–the larger the better.
9. Harvest rhubarb only after the first growing season and when the stalks are 12 to 18 inches long.
10. You can eat both green and red-colored stems. While the red is slightly sweeter, you will need to add more sugar to offset the tart flavor with green fruit.
Check out this simple recipe for Rhubarb Compote.
For more great tips and tricks for planting your favorite fruit and vegetables, be sure to check out Wisconsin Homemaker’s Garden Section, as well as my family favorite Rhubarb Recipes HERE.
Deborah. I ran across your inormation on how to grow rhubarb on yoour website.
I live in Hayward, Ca. in the San Francisco bay area. We don’t get any freezing weather. Can I still grow rhubara? I was thinking to grow it in a large pot.
Growing up , am now 89 in Denver my grandpa homesteaded 160 acres in the Rocky Mountain in the 30’s, very wild country with a trout stream the full lenght We had rhubarb growing wild by the stream.
I have always had a garden whenever I had room which was most of my married life of 63 years. A bit more difficult now due to age but still carry on. It started with my grandpa’s Victory Garden in WWII and about an acre of vegatables in our place in the mountains. Would apprecite ny help you can give me.
Thanks for your time.
Marty Strauss.
Hello Marty! It is amazing how certain plants remind us of fond memories. I’m not familiar with what can/cannot be grown in California, but you can find information on the internet that might be able to help you. Keep in mind that rhubarb requires dormancy and a season of cold weather to rejuvenate for the next growing season, however, in California this isn’t always necessarily the case. You might want to contact your local extension office or a local botanical garden and speak to their master gardener who might be able to shed light on this topic. Also, check out this article from a California master gardener who offers his best solution for growing this plant in warmer climates. And, this article from the San Diego Tribune on growing rhubarb from seed. Because rhubarb is a rather large plant, growing it in a planter might cause it to become rootbound. Plus, rhubarb takes two seasons to be ready for harvest–the first season you need to allow it to remain untouched and the second season the stalks will be edible. However, the leaves and roots are very poisonous, so this plant probably should be kept away from young children and pets that like to dig in the dirt. I hope this information helps. Be well!–DLM