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

06 Mar 23, Anonymous (USA - Zone 12b climate)
They don't recommend planting it in your climate zone.
19 Feb 23, Rebecca (USA - Zone 8b climate)
Advice on planting Victoria rhubarb in pots.
20 Feb 23, Anonymous (USA - Zone 8b climate)
Read the notes here or google how to grow it.
30 Jan 23, phil coppola (USA - Zone 7b climate)
What variety of rhubarb is best to grow as a perennial in zone 7. I tried rhubarb about 45 years ago and was unsuccessful. Reason being that the temperature in the winter wasn't cold enough in the winter and if you were to try to grow it you were required to expose the bulb (?roots) to a freeze. Are there new varieties that don't require that. Please advise.
27 Jun 22, Meagan Messinbird (USA - Zone 4b climate)
Where can I buy rhubarb root to plant ?
24 Feb 23, Trish (USA - Zone 7b climate)
Tractor supply has it , bags are $ 4.89.
25 Jun 22, Deborah Winquest (USA - Zone 7b climate)
I live in south central Tennessee and want to grow rhubarb. Can I do so as a perennial or do I have to treat it as an annual? And where is the best place to plant the crowns?
02 Sep 22, Tiffles (USA - Zone 8a climate)
From what I read, give it a good spot for it to get sun during fall-spring and protect it from heat(shade it) during summer. It's delicate to heat. I'm going to try planting mine on north fence and then planting sunflowers for shade but giving it good ventilation in between. We made need shade cloth.
13 Jun 22, Catt Mandu (USA - Zone 8a climate)
I am growing Victoria rhubarb in three-gallon nursery pots in North Georgia. I started the plants (small roots) this spring in a sunny area during cool weather, but moved them into partial to full shade as the heat increased. The soil in the pots is a loamy sand mixed half and half with compost. I water daily, about a quart of water per plant. I top dress each pot with about a teaspoon of granular 13-13-13 fertilizer whenever I notice growth slowing down, roughly once a month.. So far, it has handled temperatures up to 95 F with no problems. My plants are huge, about 3.5 feet across with long thick stems. One thing I have noticed! is the stems are mostly green, not red, this could be due to the shade, or possibly heat. They still taste great in strawberry rhubarb pie, though I'm harvesting very little this first year, hoping for the plants being larger and stronger next year. As a precaution against disease, any leaves and stems that are starting to yellow with age I pull off of the plant and compost them.
15 May 22, (USA - Zone 8a climate)
What variety of rhubarb will grow in zone 8 or 9
Showing 11 - 20 of 56 comments

We have very recently (April) moved some rhubarb plants that originated from my FIL's family homestead many years ago, from Denver CO to SC. I desperately want to keep these alive, mostly for my husband. Any advice? Our ground is hard as a rock in most spots and has a lot of clay, so figured I need to keep them in pots. How big of a pot do I need, should I be sure to put them on the side of the house where there's mostly only morning sun, in order to continue the "family line", should I try and gather seeds from the plant for the following year? Thanks!

- Trish I.

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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.
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