How to Plant Rhubarb

Plant rhubarb crowns in early spring with the buds 1–2 inches below the soil, 3 feet apart, in full sun. Skip the harvest the first year so the crown can build strength.

When to plant
Early spring
Depth
Buds 1–2 inches below the soil surface
Spacing
3 feet apart; allow a 3 by 3 foot area per plant
Sun
Full sun, all day
Water
Soak the soil at least 1 inch each week through the growing season
Soil
Well-drained

Step by step

  1. Choose a sunny spot you won't need for anything else. Rhubarb can stay put for many years.
  2. Work compost into the soil, and make sure the spot drains well.
  3. Dig a hole wide enough for the roots and set the crown so its buds sit 1–2 inches below the soil surface.
  4. Backfill, firm the soil and water thoroughly.
  5. Space plants 3 feet apart, giving each a 3 by 3 foot area.
  6. Water deeply, at least an inch a week, through the growing season.
  7. Don't harvest this first year; let every leaf feed the crown.

After bloom

Cut off any flower stalk as soon as you spot it; flowering and setting seed weaken the plant and cut stalk production. To harvest, hold a stalk firmly and pull and twist it away from the crown. Don't cut it with a knife. Trim off the leaves right away and discard them; they are toxic. Stop harvesting by the end of June, then let the plant grow freely. Feed once a year with compost or a balanced fertilizer. Divide crowded crowns every few years in early spring as new growth starts.
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