Rhubarb is back in fashion!

 

Helen Simpson, from the Mushroom Shed, tells you all you need to know about growing rhubarb. She has also written articles about growing basil, brassicas, chilli, coriander, cucurbits, garlic, ginger & turmeric, mint, raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes and lesser known herbs.

rhubarbI often hear stories about a rhubarb plant still vigorously producing, even if planted many years ago. Often the ‘crowns’ are taken to a new home when a house is sold, or handed down through family generations. Rhubarb is becoming popular to grow again – so how is it done?

Crowns or seed

Most people grow their rhubarb plant from a ‘crown’, which is the part of the plant under the ground and consists of a rhizome and a bud. However, rhubarb can also be grown from seed. Rhubarb grown from seed will take longer. Growing from a crown gives you a good head start.

Crowns can be divided from the main rhubarb plant every five or so years – a plant that has several good sized, distinct growing points indicates divisions may work and they can usually be divided into about three parts. When digging up the crown(s), the crowns may fall apart from each other easily, but generally I’ve had to wrestle with them and split with a spade. The more care taken the better, as damaged crowns can take a while to recover.

Crowns are normally divided when the plant is dormant or growing slowly, e.g. late winter. Once separated, crowns can be re-planted about 90cm apart. Plant the crowns with roots downwards – each crown should have one or more white/pink ‘buds’ or growing points. The recommended depth is to have the top of the crown 3cm under the soil. However I’ve found to reduce the chance of rotting, planting the top of the crown slightly above the soil works best.

Soil and watering

Rhubarb is a perennial and normally stays in position for years. So it is worth making the effort to plant in a good, rich, well-drained soil. Too soggy and your crown may rot. Too few nutrients and you will get thin stalks and a small plant.

With generous nutrients and sufficient water, your rhubarb plant should reward you with an abundance of thick, long, juicy stalks. If this is not the case, try feeding with a liquid fertiliser or sprinkle fertiliser near the base of the plant and water well.

Note, however, that your rhubarb will go through a winter dormant period where, depending on the variety, it will produce fewer or no stalks.

Position

A sunny position is best, however steer away from the hot afternoon sun in summer. Rhubarb will grow in some shade, but will be smaller and thinner.

Rhubarb is best planted in the garden where it can spread out. I have seen old crowns as big as basket balls. It can be grown in a pot but make sure it is a very large one.

Harvesting

Someone told me to only harvest rhubarb in months containing the letter ‘r’, eg: October, November, February etc. There seems to be some truth in this, as no winter months contain the letter ‘r’ and this is when rhubarb is the most dormant. Generally, however, if your rhubarb is producing well, go ahead and harvest it. Giving the stalks a brisk pull downwards and sideways from the main plant will separate them without damage. Leave at least four stalks in the centre of the plant to keep it viable.

Discard the leaves, which are poisonous due to oxalic acid content, as are the roots. During the food shortages of World War 1, rhubarb leaves were promoted as a food source in the UK, leading to the discovery of their poisonous nature.

Rhubarb keeps well in the fridge, however if you forget about it, look out, as you can be left with a soggy mess. It can also be cooked down and frozen. Rhubarb must be cooked, and combines well with apple, cinnamon, orange, berries and pears.

‘Going to seed’

Sometimes your rhubarb plant may produce a seed head. Unless you want seed, I recommend cutting it off as, otherwise, production of the plant will stop for a while.

Green rhubarb?

No, it is not unripe. There are varieties of rhubarb which have mainly green stalks with minimal red colouring – Victoria is probably the greenest. They tend to be extremely productive and still taste good. I mix the vast bulk of the green stalked rhubarb with the lesser bulk of the red varieties, to get both quantity and colour. However, I find the green variety takes longer to cook down.

Finally, red rhubarb stalks can look greener in hot weather and redder in winter.

  104 Responses to “Rhubarb is back in fashion!”

  1. I bought some crowns online and one is split down the middle vertically/ lengthways. They are now out of stock of this variety, but I want to try growing it. Will it still stand a chance and just take longer to recover or is it totally destroyed?

  2. I have six rhubarb crowns in three large tubs. When I bought them, they all had two or three large stalks on them, and very healthy. Now all they seem to be producing is a number of small thin stalks, and no large ones. Growth is not as vigorous as it was. Is this due to becoming dormant as we move through Autumn, and why only the small stalks?

    • Many varieties of rhubarb either go dormant or semi-dormant over Winter. Don’t worry until and unless they don’t start growing again in the Spring.

  3. I am in New Zealand but as we are neighbours I figure I can ask a general, non geographic question about rhubarb. I was given two tiny rhubarb plants yesterday. Both have a small narrow bit of crown and two stems and leaves each. All the articles I see about planting rhubarb show big woody crowns with 3 or 4 shoots on them. Do you think they will be alright if I put them in pots for now and plant in the garden in spring? If so, what sized pot would be good to get them growing? Or, should I just try them straight in the garden? We are experiencing exceptionally hot weather this year but it is heading towards autumn.

  4. Hi Helen

    I have a couple of small rhubarb plants that are the product of a recent division. The old plant did really well over several years and had a number of crowns. I re-planted the split crowns around the same spot in my garden in early spring. Now the few leaves on both new plants are going orange/red. There is also a baby plant planted from separate seedlings that has also turned red. There’s been a lot of rain in Melbourne the last few weeks. Do you know what this could be and what I should do? Is this a disease that is affecting all the plants? Thank you for your advice.

    • Hi Shifrah,

      I’m not sure what the cause is, but my rhubarb gets red on it’s leaves too, particularly when the leaves are older. If the plant otherwise looks healthy and is growing well, I wouldn’t be concerned – it may just be the way that the chlorophyll is dispersed in the leaf.

      There is something called red leaf disease, which I know very little about – perhaps other readers could comment?

      Regards, Helen

  5. Hi Helen, I have two rhubarb plants planted from crowns. They have grown very well. However, with the heat last week (Sydney), some of the stalks have flopped over. What should I do with these? Do I pull them off?

    Thank you.

    Jane

    • Hi Jane,

      If they can’t be revived by a watering, yes I’d cut them off.

      Rhubarb likes water (as long as the rhizomes don’t stay in soggy ground) and lots of feeding, to produce strong, large stalks.

      Regards, Helen

  6. Is it necessary to remove all the stalks before transplanting rhubarb?

    • I recommend you remove all stalks apart from a few of the newly forming small stalks/leaves. That way, the plant will put it’s energy into establishing itself in a new position, rather than having to support existing stalk/leaf growth as well.

  7. Hi there, I’m wondering what might be good for companion planting with rhubarb? Thanks in advance, Nick

  8. I have two rhubarb plants in large pots. In the first year, the stalks were long and juicy but now they are short (about 20cm) and skinny. They are in full sun but shaded from the hot afternoon sun mid to late afternoon. I recently topped up their soil with some of the contents contents of my worm farm. I liberally water them and the pots are off the ground to assist draining. Question: what do I need to do the get longer, thicker stalks? Also, what is the best fertiliser to use?

    TIA
    Bob

    • Hi Bob,

      To produce thicker, longer stalks, your plants will need feeding. Potentially, they have outgrown their pots or the soil has become too depleted, despite worm farm contents. I’d firstly check if they need bigger pots and, if not, liberally feed with cow manure.

      Regards, Helen

  9. Hi Helen, I live in south east Queensland and bought two lovely crowns from Mount Tambourine, near the Gold Coast about a year ago and they were terrific for the first year and when the really hot sun started to wilt the leaves during summer, I put up some shade cloth and they recovered really well. By late summer, they stopped growing any more stalks and I assumed they had gone into dormancy for a while. But I have not seen any sign of them so far this year, so I dug them up to see if they were OK but they were ‘no more’! I assume they must have rotted out during the autumn/winter period.

    I know rhubarb likes the temperature to go below 3 degrees for several weeks during dormancy and because our climate doesn’t really get down that low for that long, should I dig them up as they go dormant and ‘winter’ them in the fridge for six or seven weeks rather than risk the new crowns I bought recently, disappearing again? I’m afraid that the same will happen again if I leave them ‘in’ all year round. Please advise.

    Thank you so much for your article on Rhubarb. It’s the best one I have seen that relates to Australia.

    Cheers…..Terry

    • Hi Terry,

      You’re probably right – that the crowns rotted – this can happen if you have a lot of rain and the crowns and roots stay in water too long.

      Just ensure the plants are in well drained soil. There should be no need to dig them up during dormancy. Keep feeding well, and you’re doing the right thing protecting them from the very hot sun, as it will burn them.

      Regards, Helen

    • Ensure the crown is planted just above ground level (roots below soil) if planted in an area where the soil is very wet over winter to prevent rotting.

  10. Hi there. My rhubarb is growing really well as it’s in an area where it gets the morning sun and it’s protected from the hot afternoon summer sun with filtered light.(sub tropical area of NSW).

    However, our neighbour has recently put up a six foot fence. This will still protect it during summer but the winter afternoon sun is now gone. The previous fence was a chainlink one which let the sun through in Winter. Can I leave my rhubarb there or will I have to move it? If the latter, when is the right time to move it?

    Thank you kindly.

    • Hi Wendy,

      Sounds like you had the perfect spot before the new fence.

      I’d recommend dividing it, if you can – keep some where it is and put another clump in a new spot – then test whether the new spot is better. The lack of winter sun may not matter in the current spot due to the rhubarb being dormant, but if you test two spots, you’ll be able to tell.

      Regards, Helen

  11. Hi, we live in Keysborough in Melbourne. Currently our rhubarb is growing in our vegetable garden, nice and red and thick. We have just sold our house after 44 years. The rhubarb is about 15 years old and has been divided up many times. We would like to take it with us, can we transplant it into a tub now and what size of tub should we purchase, also what sort of soil should we use?

    • Hi Daryl,

      Yes, now is perfect timing to dig up your plant, if you want to move it. Use a good quality potting mix if you’re transplanting into a tub. Cut a good proportion of the outside stalks off, leaving some of the smaller inner stalks – this will help the plant re-establish without having to also sustain all the stalks/leaves at the same time.

      The tub should be big enough to contain the root system, however you can trim the root system down it it’s really long, or curl it around in the tub, assuming the tub is only a temporary home. Be prepared to use several tubs of different sizes if your plant is very large and falls into a few parts when dug up. You probably won’t know what size tub you need until you actually dig the plant up, however the plant will sustain a few hours out of the garden whilst you either find or buy what’s required.

      Just an aside – I seem to recall on house purchase, the purchasers also purchase what’s in the garden – maybe another reader can comment on this and whether it’s prudent to check with the real estate agent that sold your place? I’m by no means an expert here.

      Cheers, Helen

    • This is only a suggestion: You could divide and pot up the rhubarb and give a division to the purchaser. Perhaps run it past the Real Estate Agent first as Helen suggests. And/or request he puts the question to the purchaser … they may not appreciate rhubarb as much as we do.

      By the way, Helen, I too love this web site with its informative content. And it is Australian.

  12. Hi Helen,
    Planting one on the Eastern side of the house, yes or no?

  13. Can different species of rhubarb be grown together please

  14. Hello, thanks for the article! I’ve just bought a little plant and am going to get a big pot for it as I only have a small garden. Would planting it directly into some well-rotted compost be rich enough? I’m always worried with manure that it will burn things, as I’m not experienced with it.

    Also hoping that it’s not too late / warm to be re-potting – I feel like a bigger pot will make sure it doesn’t dry out as quickly though.

    Thanks in anticipation! ?

  15. Hello Helen, I have one plant which has grown despite a certain lack of attention. We have now about 4 crowns. I have no idea what sort of rhubarb it is, I think I bought it from Bunnings. However my concern is that, while it seems healthy enough with lovely leaves, it is always lying down, quite lovely firm thick but short stems and lying down. Should I tie them, or somehow bring them together in a frame or just go with the rhubarb ‘horizontalis’? They are green stems, cook up well, just look a strange urky colour.

    • Hi Lyn,

      Some rhubarb varieties have short stems but, because yours is a green rhubarb, my guess is it’s a ‘Victoria’ (quite a popular greenish variety). Usually the Victoria grows tallish, thick stems – and yes, they do cook up extremely well.

      My suggestion is that you give yours a good feed of chicken manure, sprinkled around the base (water in well), or a liquid fertiliser. Also check the soil is rich and well drained. That should get the stalks growing taller and more upright. Don’t be bothered by the green colour – that’s just the variety.

      Regards, Helen

  16. Hello Helen
    My daughter lives in out eastern suburbs of Melbourne and has offered her large rhubarb plant, possibly 25 years old. I live in central Gippsland. When and how can I transplant without fear?
    Thank you

    • Hi Lynne,

      The best time is over winter, when the plant goes into dormancy.

      If you are concerned about the move, you could divide off some and leave the rest for another time, just in case the division doesn’t take. Depending on how the plant is growing, sometimes you can get a small spade down the side to divide off a small piece.

      Regards, Helen

  17. Hi,
    I have quite a small rhubarb plant that has about 4 distinct crowns. It was swamped under some larger growth so is spindly and pale. Can I divide it still now or leave it for this year, feed it and divide next winter? I’m on Mornington Peninsula.
    Thank you 🙂

    • Hi Bel,

      You could carefully divide now as it’s not too hot.

      With each division, leave only a few small leaves so whilst the plants are re-establishing themselves, they don’t have to support old leaf growth.

      Regards, Helen

  18. Hi Helen,
    I’m new to growing rhubarb. I brought a plant which seemed to be going well initially, as it threw out a third leaf in August. However, since then it has gone dormant and has developed holes all over the leaves. I fear I may have over watered it and created crown rot. Or perhaps gave it too much fertiliser. The top of the crown, where leaves pop out, has gone brown and is spongy to touch (I don’t know if this is normal).

    The stalks are still firm which makes me think plant may be ok to save. But no sign of new leaves for 5 weeks now. Any ideas how to save this plant? Or should I dig it out and start again?

    • Hi Gary,

      The holes sound like a slug or snail has nibbled your plant. If it’s been particularly wet, this may have attracted them.

      The spongy crown doesn’t sound good and could be due to over-water. You could dig it up and see what’s happening below to its roots – clean off any slimy parts and re-plant in a friable soil mix. I’d recommend doing this sooner rather than later, so it’s back in the ground quickly to start it’s Spring growth.

      Regards, Helen

      • Cook the green rhubarb stems with a packet of red jelly crystals using half the water. This colours the rhubarb red, no extra sugar is needed and the end result is thickened once cool.

  19. Hi Helen,
    I have been looking at the many various varieties of rhubarb at Diggers Club. I live in Essendon and wondering what would be the best variety to plan. I have a large garden so space is not an issue. Thank you, Ang

  20. Hi Helen,
    I have been looking at the many various varieties of rhubarb at Diggers Club. I live in Essendon and wondering what would be the best variety to plant. I have a large garden so space is not an issue. Thank you, Ang.

    • Hi Ang,

      Variety really comes down to personal preference. There are many different types – tall and short stalks, red, pink, red flecked and greenish. If you have a large garden, you could try some of the really tall-stalked varieties and maybe also a greenish one for a different colour (they tend to be very productive – normally called Victoria).

      Some of the most interesting rhubarbs come from other people’s gardens, especially if they have been handed down through the family – with the variety name long lost.

      Regards, Helen

  21. Hi Helen, i have a mature rhubarb plant, found it growing in my garden when i moved here ten years ago, and have since moved it twice.
    I picked big stalks off it this Autumn, and then it didn’t really go dormant over winter, but now has lots of thin, limp stalks. I think it is time to divide and move it, but have I missed the boat for this year? I am in Maldon, still quite cool nights.
    Regards, Sandra

    • Hi Sandra,
      Yes, there still enough time to move it or, alternatively, keep it where it is and give it a good fertilise and water. Thin, limp stalks can be a sign of insufficient nutrients in the soil and the plant not being able to take up water.
      Regards, Helen

  22. Hi Helen,

    I think I need a bit of advice and hoping you can help.

    I have had my rhubarb grow from a crown I got from Bunnings in a greenhouse for several months, probably 4-5, so I decided to plant it now as it got warmer in Melbourne and it had started seriously overshadowing poor Celery with its huge leaves.

    So as soon as I planted it in the fancy new & larger container, it went floppy on me and the leaves withered away. Not sure if it was still too cold outside or what went wrong. The celery I planted at the same time looks fab now, happier than it was in the greenhouse!

    Can I still salvage the plant or is this just rhubarb growing pains?

    Cheers,

    Katri

    • Hi Katri,

      Probably, with the root disturbance of the replant, you rhubarb has not been able to also support its huge leaves. I’d cut most of it’s leaves off, leaving only one or two really small ones. That way, the plant will be able to concentrate on re-establishing itself in its new place, without having to put energy into supporting its leaves as well. Once it starts growing new leaves, you will know that it has settled into its new spot.

      Cheers, Helen

  23. Hi there –
    What would you suggest for me to successfully grow ruhbarb in Brisbane? I have bought Victoria and Sydney Crimson.
    I have planted them in well drained soil – but will our Winter be cold enough?.
    Kim

    • Hi Kim,

      It’s difficult to say whether your climate will be cold enough, as it will also depend on how the rhubarb reacts in your garden.

      Generally, rhubarb needs a cold winter to be grown as a perennial. If grown in a warm climate, it’s usually grown as an annual and re-planted each year.

      You may be lucky enough to have it continue to grow as a perennial. If there is an area in your garden that is slightly cooler in winter, but still receives sun, I’d try planting there.

      Regards, Helen

  24. I have planted 2 varieties of rhubarb and they are growing well. I have them mulched with sugar cane. When and how often should they be fed? Some sites say not for the first year.

    • Hi Elaine,

      Early Spring is best, before it starts growing strongly. After that, during the rhubarb’s growing period (Spring to Autumn) it will often tell you when it needs to be fed – stems will be thinner and it won’t look as vigorous. So I’d be guided by what your plant looks like, rather than a particular schedule. Regards, Helen

  25. Hi Helen,
    I purchased a rhubarb crown from the big green shed almost 12 months ago and planted in one end of a large planter with other plants at the other end (brocolini & snow peas) but it didn’t grow any bigger than the few leaves that were on it originally. It then lost all its leaves and has sat there since. Not sure if it was too wet (killing my plants with kindness over summer).

    I have recently re-potted the crown into a slightly smaller pot on its own but nothing is happening yet.

    Please advise if there’s anything else I can do for it.

    Thanks
    Carina

    • Hi Carina,

      Rhubarb goes into a winter dormancy, so nothing much will happen with your plant over winter.

      However, come Spring, it should rapidly grow.

      Check that it’s in a rich soil – it is OK to water well, however it will need good drainage, as the crown will rot if in soggy soil.

      Regards, Helen

  26. This is a great website. I live in Sunbury and have rhubarb grown in 3 different areas of the garden. 1 of them is in a half wine barrel. 1 of the plants in the ground has run to seed – if I leave it to it’s own devices, will it produce viable seed and then return its efforts to growing more stems? In the third one, there are holes in the leaves – what would the pest be and what is the best way to handle it?

    • Hi David,

      When rhubarb runs to seed, it can exhaust the plant and it may never return to its vigour. So I tend to cut the seed heads off as they come, to prevent the plant going to seed.

      That said, if you have seed from your plant, you can plant the seed and it will produce a rhubarb plant, albeit slowly. It may not be true to the original plant in colour. The best way to ensure true to type plants is to do crown divisions in winter.

      Holes in leaves probably means a slug/snail – unless it’s affecting the plant, I’d ignore the problem, since the leaves are not eaten.

      Regards, Helen

  27. Hi there,

    I live in the Sub Tropical area of NSW called Bellingen and, as you know, last summer we had extreme hot weather. I had 9 rhubarb plants in raised beds but unfortunately most died with the heat. I did water them but we had a lot of smoke around from the fires.

    Now I’m digging new holes and preparing the beds with compost and manure for a new crop of rhubarb. My questions are relating to the new areas I’m planting in.

    I’ve read that you can protect rhubarb in hot weather by planting them in an area that avoid the late afternoon western sun. Well that seems fine but what happens in this area when the sun moves around, like during Winter. Will the rhubarb survive when the winter sun and days aren’t as long?

    Also, What is the best way to protect rhubarb from direct summer sun? I’ve used shadecloth but i’m not sure exactly what % of cover I should use.

    Thank you kindly.

    • Hi Wendy,

      The winter sun and day length shouldn’t be a problem for rhubarb, which may go into dormancy at this stage. Your rhubarb should survive, but may ‘go to ground’ at this time.

      Instead choose your spot to avoid the hot afternoon summer sun. Shade cloth is good to use (don’t worry too much about the % cover) – just pull it over the plant (without touching the plant) on days of extreme heat/sun. Try not to keep the plants covered for a number of days at a time, if possible, or the plant will suffer from lack of sun.

      Regards, Helen

  28. Hi Helen,
    Some of my rhubarb stalks are getting porous, with small longitudinal holes through them. Are they too old to eat? I’m wondering if it’s a seasonal thing.
    Regards
    Michael.

    • Hi Michael,

      This can happen with some of the older stalks – usually on the outside of the plant. You can still use them, but they might end up being a bit ‘mushy’, as they slowly die off. Better to use stalks that aren’t in this condition – for no other reason than they are fresher and easier to use. Regards, Helen

      • This site is an excellent source of information. I’ve grown 15 plants from seed and they’re developing well. I planted the seeds 5 months ago and transplanted to 10 inch pots as they got bigger. Some of the stalks are now large enough to harvest but I’ve resisted that while the plants establish themselves for the first year. Do I just let the leaves continue growing and wait for them to wither away? Space will be a problem in the garden so I’m planning on, say, keeping 3 in larger pots and giving the rest away as gifts. My other question is: what size pot should I use? I don’t want anything as big and immovable as a half wine barrel. Thanks.

        • Hi Ron,

          That’s great that you’ve managed to grow so many plants from seed. Yes, let the leaves continue growing and wait for them to wither away. Rhubarb grows quite big, so eventually a pot around 400mm wide and 400mm deep will be required (larger if you can manage it). Keep transplanting the plants into successively bigger pots until they reach the largest size you can accommodate. You’ll need to fertilise well, and keep up the water.

          Regards, Helen

  29. My rhubarb seems to be very woody – even the new stalks. Any ideas. And thanks for all the info.

    • Hi Wendy, I’ve never experienced this myself, but internet research suggests this can happen in late summer. Perhaps it needs more water – since we’ve had a lot of rain lately, check and see if this has helped.

      Rhubarb plants go into winter dormancy shortly – this will give you an opportunity to divide it, if it’s big enough. Re-plant any divisions in a different spot and see if this makes a difference.

      Regards, Helen

  30. Hi Helen, I love your website.

    My rhubarb is doing very well, but I have chooks and would like to give it a feed of chook poo. I have read you should not use fresh chook manure on plants. I am wondering if it would be ok to use if it is spread around the perimeter of the plant?

    • Hi Eveline,

      There are two things to watch for with fresh chook poo – it can burn your plants and it can also contain harmful organisms. Whilst it takes longer, it’s recommended you compost it first.

      There are a number of good articles on the internet about how to compost it quickly.

      Regards, Helen

      • My Rhubarb is only growing a short (10cm) stork but a massive leaf (30cm) the stork is fairly thick but just not long. How do you make them grow longer

        • Hi Robert,

          My research suggests there could be many reasons for this (e.g. too much nitrogen, lack of water, too much light, plant variety, roots can’t get down deep enough, etc). With no conclusive reason, I suggest that you try a few different things, and see what works best. If you can divide a crown off your rhubarb, try experimenting with growing it in a different spot, under different conditions, and see if the stalks grow longer.

          Cheers, Helen

  31. G’day Helen. I live in a VICHousing unit at Yarragon, east of Melbourne. When I moved in two years ago, I found that there was a rhubarb plant at the north-facing side of the unit against a brick wall. I love rhubarb but it was producing only a small amount of medium thickness red stalks which I harvested as necessary (great on weetbix with natural yoghurt every day). After removing all the weeds around the crowns, I discovered that there were five crowns, some about 100mm in diameter and a couple of smaller ones about 50-60 mm in diameter. Today, I decided to dig the whole garden up (it’s only a strip really – about 7 metres long by 400mm ) for a spring planting and dug (or should I say excavated) the rhubarb crowns out. Well, what a job! The root system was off in all directions. They were up to 75mm in circumference and up to 600mm long. I always thought that the crowns were basically rootless like a potato. I was staggered to discover such a huge root system. Without researching, I just broke the crowns off the roots thinking to re-plant them in a more suitably semi-shaded spot.

    I’m wondering if I’ve destroyed them by removing the roots. The leaves rarely got taller than about 300mm. I see other gardens with rhubarb that resemble the Amazon and wonder the best way to get juicy red tall leaves? Any tips would be great including the best time to re-plant – if I haven’t murdered them that is. 🙂

    • Hi Mike,

      If your rhubarb plant is growing, then all is good (however, next time you separate the crowns, leave the roots on). It’ll take a few months to grow new roots and re-establish.

      Feed it with lots of manure and make sure it’s well watered (not soggy) and it will grow larger.

      Best time to divide is winter – but rhubarb is a tough plant, so done now should still be OK.

      Regards, Helen

      • My rhubarb looks terrible. The leaves have holes plus small brown spots. The stems are woody and thin. What can I do?

        Jane

        • Hi Jane,

          It sounds like your rhubarb is pest damage, diseased, or both.

          Over winter, I’d completely rejuvenate it by digging it up, cutting off most of the stems/leaves, then dividing it (if there are crowns you can divide off). Re-plant crowns in a different, well drained spot, with lots of manure dug in.

          You should be rewarded for your efforts in Spring.

          Regards, Helen

    • Hi

      I’m new to growing rhubarb and moved into our new home with green rhubarb growing. We have now finished it. Do we cut it all back if we don’t dig it up and divide this year?

      Also I love this site. We are located in The Basin. We have so much to learn about our vegetable garden.

      • Hi Catherine,

        The green rhubarb will probably naturally die back over winter, so just leave it as is. If you have cut a lot from it, give it some time to regenerate before cutting again late Spring.

        A good feed of manure early Spring, when it starts growing again, will ensure you have a plentiful supply.

        There is no need to divide it unless you want to – eg: to give some to friends or to put some in a different place in the garden.

  32. Hi, can you move rhubarb plant that has died off after a couple of years? It’s not in a good position, but looks as though it is dead. I grew it from seed. Any help welcome thanks, Paula

    • Hi Paula,

      Rhubarb are fine to move, but it’s usually done in Winter. However, if it’s not looking good, you’ve nothing to lose by doing it now – so, yes, move it and see how you go. Regards, Helen

  33. Hi Helen. I have rhubarb crowns split into pots at start of winter then planted out at beginning of Spring. They are doing really well with lots of healthy stems. I’m so tempted to take a few stems even though not recommended in plants first season, it seems such a waste. Could you please advise me? Thanking you, Neale.

    • Hi Neale,

      Yes, I’d pick them – sounds like your plant is healthy and growing well, so I don’t see any harm.

      Regards, Helen

  34. I have just planted two good looking ‘seedlings’ in an open garden. I don’t see any crown! Does that grow underground later on?

    I have planted them in a mainly full sun position, well drained and about a foot apart. Is that ok? I realise it takes much time but I can wait. Any tips with feeding.

    I’m inner city Melbourne. Phil.

    • Hi Phil,

      Yes, the seedlings take some time to develop a good sized crown – over a year or even more. That is why crowns are not cheap to buy. Any sort of manure is good for feeding – that will make it grow much quicker. Also rhubarb plants enjoy a good water, as long as the soil drains well and they are not kept soggy. Regards, Helen

  35. I find that some of my plants produce very thin stalks while also producing larger stalks on the same plant. I believe I give the plants plenty of organic Neutrog fertilizer from Gyganic to Seamungas during winter. Could I over feed the plants causing the thinner stems of perhaps 1/4 inch thickness?

    • Hi John. Maybe your rhubarb plant has grown several more crowns, with the older crowns producing the larger stalks and the newer crowns the thinner ones. Due to rhubarb’s winter dormancy, now is a good time to dig under the ground to investigate, and you can divide off any smaller crowns and re-plant elsewhere if required. Regards, Helen.

  36. Does red chilli planted close by affect rhubarb growth?

  37. Hi Helen. Our plant keeps going to seed. Why & is there a way to stop it flowering? Mary

    • Hi Mary,
      Mature rhubarb plants will create seed – so best to cut off the flowering stems to allow energy to go into the plant to create the leaves. However, given the dry weather over the last few months, it’s likely your plant is stressed and has gone to seed in an attempt to reproduce. So cut off the flower stalk, give it plenty of manure and keep watering. Helen

  38. My new rhubarb is growing well and the stalks are perfect size though still green. The leaves are huge (twice the size of the stems) and they get so heavy. What can I do?

    • Hi Wendy,

      I’m not sure why you think you have a problem. Many rhubarb varieties have green stems. Their leaves are always huge.

  39. Why am I producing massive leaves 500 X 450mm. And skinny stalks.

    • Hi Rob,

      You could try additional water (assuming your soil is well drained). Also, over winter, try splitting your rhubarb and separating it into several plants – each grown in their own space. My only other suggestion is that it is perhaps not getting sufficient sun – if you do split your plant in winter, you could test out some different locations and see if it makes a difference.

      Regards, Helen

  40. Hi. I have planted a Sydney crimson in a pot. The plant has taken off growth-wise. It has been in the pot for 6 months. The stems are very thick and only have a bit of red colour low on the stem. I have been told not to pick the first year and when does the red colour show its true colour. Cheers.

    • I have about five plants all in same garden bed. One plant grows really well the others don’t grow very tall. What is wrong?

      • Hi Rhonda,

        It could be any number of things. Have you given them fertiliser (rhubarb is a heavy feeder)?

  41. Hi Helen. I live in Lilydale and I have bought rhubarb plants from Bunnings, planted them in a 1sqm box and am not having much luck with the plants taking! Any ideas?

    • I’m assuming that you can still see the leaves on your rhubarb plants? The box you have planted them in sounds plenty big enough. If you have recently bought them and they are in good soil, with the weather getting colder your rhubarb plants may take a while to show any growth. In fact around June/July, the plants go into dormancy and may lose their leaves for a few months, before sprouting again in Spring. Regards, Helen.

    • Steve;
      I had the same problem, they just sat there and did nothing. Turns out rhubarb is very demanding on the soil so you need to fertilise them regularly with blood & bone or something similar. I use Charlie Carp diluted and give them a hit once a week. Believe me you can see them grow.

  42. Where can I buy some rhubarb crowns for my back garden?
    I’m based in Clifton Hill in Melbourne.
    I would love to grow some.

  43. Hi Helen

    What buzz it was to find your website!!!

    I was hoping to grow some Rhubarb up at Blackwood but wondering if it is toooooooo cold up there.

    Any thoughts??

    Cheers Jan

    • Hello Jan,

      Thanks for writing!

      It should be fine. We got our original crowns from a farm in Ballarat, so assuming similar climate it should grow very well, If you would like some of our ‘Ballarat’ variety, let me know and I can dig you some up.

      Cheers, Helen

      • Thanks..Ok I wil give it a go.

        I just love the Taste recipe for Stewed Rhubarb and Ginger…yum!!!

        Will come to visit you at the farmers’ market in a couple of weeks but will let you know prior.

        Happy gardening. Cheers, Jan x

      • Around 6 months ago, I planted 4 big crowns and 4 strawberry plants under them. They are in a raised garden bed about 2 metres x 1 metre. I’m worried that they are overcrowded but don’t know if it’s better to leave them as is or to re-plant some. I live in the Dandenong Ranges.

        • Hi Nikki,

          Your rhubarbs should be fine, as from what you describe, there is plenty of room for them to grow large.

          I’d be more concerned about your strawberries getting overshadowed by the rhubarb leaves, so just ensure the strawberry plants are located to the sides of your raised beds to drape over the sides as they grow.

          Regards, Helen

  44. Hi Helen,
    Would you have a couple of good sized rhubarb roots to sell or give me for my garden? Used to grow rhubarb years ago and would love to again.
    Cheers,
    Blossom
    Blossom Organics

    • Hi Blossom,

      I’ll dig some up and bring them to the next Eltham Farmers Market, Regards, Helen

 Leave a Reply

(required)

(required)