Have patience with rhubarb
Greed is not good when it comes to rhubarb. You need patience for the plant to mature; otherwise, it will exhaust itself if picked too soon. Read more on growing other fruit. Pot-grown rhubarb can be planted at any time, in an open, sunny site with free-draining soil. However, my plants do tolerate a bit of shade from the hedge. With crowns, plant in late autumn to early winter. You can plant later, but run the risk of crown rot.
If you planted new crowns in autumn, don’t harvest during the first year. Remove a few stems the next year, then up to a third or half from then on.
Stop cropping by June
It’s best to stop cropping by June (unless you have an autumn-cropping cultivar), or at least only remove a few stalks after then. Older varieties often go stringy then, and the plant needs the sustenance. Keep rhubarb free of weeds by mulching with composted manure, but avoid burying the crown as it will rot. Give plants 100g per sqm of Growmore in March and water regularly in dry spells.
When the top growth dies back in autumn, remove the dead leaves to expose the crown to frost – this will ensure a good crop the following year. A word of warning – only the stems of rhubarb are edible. The leaves contain toxic oxalic acid – cut off the leaves and add them to your compost heap – they will rot down safely there. I hope you’ll enjoy this wonderful (and relatively healthy) traybake recipe.
Potted guide: rhubarb
- PLANTING TIME (POT GROWN): Anytime. CROWNS: October-December.
- HARVESTING TIME: Early spring (forced) to midsummer; autumn for late varieties.
- PLANTING DISTANCE: Space plants 75-90cm (30-36in) apart, with 30cm (12in) between rows.
- ASPECT AND SOIL: Sunny, well-drained soil (will tolerate some shade).
- HARDINESS: Hardy.
- DIFFICULTY: Easy.
- RECOMMENDED VARIETIES: Timperley Early: Thick stems, early, high yield. Bred for forcing; performs very well outside, but even better colour when forced. Victoria: Late (summer) type with heavy yields. Hawke’s Champagne: Compact plants with high yield potential. It has bright red, medium-length, uniform stems. Livingstone: Autumn cropping, from September to November.
Forcing plants
If you can’t wait until April for your first crop, try forcing an established plant. In January, cover the crown with straw and place a large bucket over the top to exclude light. You can also use a traditional terracotta forcer, like these pictured at RHS Harlow Carr in Harrogate, but they’re really expensive. The pale pink, tender stems can be harvested about eight weeks after covering. Don’t force the same crown for two years in a row, as it weakens the plant.
Don’t mix up edible and ornamental rhubarb
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? The picture above is the weird bud and leaves of the ornamental rhubarb, Rheum palmatum, after bursting forth in April. (It’s also sometimes called Chinese or Turkish rhubarb.) I’d really recommend growing it – it’s a talking point. Huge purple leaves, maturing to dark green and purple underneath, eventually reaching about 7ft tall with an even bigger flower spike. The flower stalk is particularly rude in bud – use your imagination!
WORD OF WARNING 1: It’s poisonous – you can’t eat any of it (ordinary rhubarb leaves are too, containing oxalic acid, a kidney toxin, and corrosive acid).
WORD OF WARNING 2: The crown is very tough and fibrous. I damaged my wrist ligaments while trying to divide one with a spade. Not recommended.
Check out this red rhubarb that can be harvested for 10 months of the year from DT Brown.
