How to grow Rhubarb in the UK
Plant once, pick for 10 years. Wait a year before your first pick.
- DifficultyEasy peasy
- WhereBeds
- Grows to90cm
- Time to first pickabout 52 weeks
- Typeperennial
When to sow, plant and harvest rhubarb
| Plant | mid October to mid March |
|---|---|
| Pick | early April to late June |
Dates are for central England. Sow about two weeks later in the north and Scotland, and up to two weeks earlier in the south and south west. Get the dates for your postcode.
Planting it
- Dig a hole wide enough to spread the roots, and mix some compost into the soil
- Sit the crown with the buds just under the surface - about 2-3cm down
- Fill in, firm gently and water well
- Space the plants 90cm apart each way - they get BIG
- Don't pick any in the first year, so it can build up strength
Top tips for growing rhubarb
- Only eat the stems - the leaves are poisonous .
Soil and feeding
Rich, moist soil packed with goodness. These are hungry plants. Dig a hole (or make a mound) and fill it with manure or compost before planting, then feed every week or two once the fruit starts.
Pests and problems
- Slugs & snails: munch seedlings overnight, worst in wet weather
- Slugs sometimes nibble new shoots in spring - hunt them at dusk
Harvesting and eating rhubarb
From the second spring, hold a stem at the bottom and pull and twist. Never pick more than half.
How to eat them: Stewed with sugar, in a crumble with custard. Stems only!
Storing rhubarb
Keeps 1-2 weeks.
- Cut off the leaves (they're poisonous) and keep the stems in the fridge
Chop into chunks and freeze - no need to blanch. Keeps 12 months.
Good varieties of rhubarb
- Timperley Early: Ready from early spring.
- Victoria: Thick green-and-red stems.
- Champagne: Bright pink stems with a sweeter taste.
Saving your own rhubarb seed
Autumn or early spring.
- Dig up a big clump
- Pull or cut it into two or three pieces, each with roots and shoots
- Replant them - more plants for free, and the old one grows better too
Where to buy rhubarb plants
Thompson & Morgan · Suttons · Amazon
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Rhubarb questions
When do I plant out rhubarb?
Plant rhubarb out from mid October to mid March.
When can I pick rhubarb?
Rhubarb is ready from early April to late June. From the second spring, hold a stem at the bottom and pull and twist. Never pick more than half.
How long do rhubarb take to grow?
Roughly 52 weeks from sowing or planting until the first harvest.
Are rhubarb easy to grow?
Rhubarb are rated 'easy peasy' for beginners, and can be grown in the ground or a raised bed.
Plan your own garden: it tells you what to do and when, for your postcode.
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