How to Grow Rhubarb: A Complete Organic Growing Guide

Who doesn't love the tart, fruity flavor of rhubarb, the giant leaves, and the long, beautiful, deep red stems? It may seem like a rare treat, but surprisingly, growing rhubarb doesn’t take much effort.

You can start it from seed or plant a dormant rhubarb crown, and it will grow big. As a kid, it seemed larger than life because the plant would get as big as I was!

My mom planted rhubarb in our very first garden two years before I was even born and I have fond memories of rhubarb jam and strawberry rhubarb pies. It brings back childhood nostalgia, and I definitely want it to be part of my garden today. So, let’s discuss how to grow rhubarb, the soil pH it likes, watering, fertilizing, planting methods, sunlight, and other tips for growing it successfully! 

Grow Thriving Perennials 

If you’re dreaming of growing strawberries, growing blueberries, growing blackberries, growing asparagus, growing horseradish, or rhubarb—it all begins with choosing strong, dormant plants. Dormant plants travel safely while asleep, acclimate naturally to your climate, and burst into spring growth with energy to spare! 

That means stronger root systems, higher survival rates, better yields in the first years, and lower disease pressure. They’re truly the best start to get thriving perennials!

Kickstart your season with MIgardener's Spring Dormant Plant Guide. This free resource includes a plant log, harvesting insights, and essential tips for growing dormant plants such as berries, grapes, horseradish, and rhubarb!

When to Plant Rhubarb

Plant rhubarb crowns when they are still dormant. You want to get them in the ground as soon as the soil is workable and still cool. They shouldn’t be phased by cold weather because they are very cold-hardy and will actually prefer to come out of dormancy slowly as the ground warms in the spring.

As you can see in the video, I planted my rhubarb crown when the buds were just starting to break. I would’ve preferred to plant it about a week sooner, but if the buds are just breaking, you can still plant it. 

You can also start rhubarb from seeds, which takes a bit longer from planting to harvest, but is more economical. If you started rhubarb seeds or got a growing (not dormant) rhubarb plant from a nursery, you will need to wait for warmer weather before planting. Harden off seedlings and plants, then transplant them outdoors after the last frost. 

Preparing Soil For Growing Rhubarb

The soil is the most important aspect of growing rhubarb successfully. If you don’t get the soil right, then it's just not going to survive and thrive.

Rhubarb has deep roots that burrow down into the soil to keep it established and help it overwinter so it will come back year after year. The first step in preparing the soil is to loosen it and add compost by double-digging. 

To use double digging, simply spread some finished compost evenly across the top of the original soil, push your shovel or broadfork into the soil about 8-10” deep, rock it back and forth gently to loosen the soil and then pull it out without overturning the soil.

If you are planting in-ground and not in a raised bed, use more compost to make a small mound over your planting area, then plant the crown in the mound. This will help excess moisture run off, preventing crown rot. Pro-Tip: Rhubarb is super susceptible to crown rot. Crown rot is one of the biggest reasons that rhubarb doesn’t come back after winter.

You can plant rhubarb in containers as well, but make sure you go with a very large container that holds a lot of soil, like half a wine barrel. Use a high-quality potting mix in the container and mix in compost before planting. Make sure that there are drainage holes in the bottom. 

How to Plant Rhubarb

In growing zones 3 to 8, rhubarb is a hardy, reliable perennial that will return for many years with minimal attention. Follow these steps to plant out your rhubarb:

1. Long-Term Location - Pick a planting location where you will not be disturbing the soil, so your rhubarb can get established and come back year after year for the next 30 years. Avoid planting in areas prone to flooding or with heavy clay soil. Remember, it doesn’t like to be moved, and the plant will get fairly large and cast a big shadow. It’s a good idea to plant it next to other perennials. 

2. Sunlight Requirements - Rhubarb prefers between 5 and 9 hours of full sun, but it can tolerate partial shade, especially in hotter climates. 

3. Soil pH - Rhubarb plants also prefer a slightly acidic soil with a pH around 6.5. Whenever you’re planting perennials, it’s always smart to test your soil pH with a soil pH meter and amend if needed.

4. Prepare the Soil - Ensure your soil is loose and well-draining before planting. To improve soil fertility and structure, use double digging: spread compost evenly across the top of the soil, push your shovel or broadfork into the soil about 8-10” deep, rock it back and forth gently to loosen the soil, and then pull it out without overturning the soil. Repeat throughout the planting area.

5. Fertilize - Add a high-nitrogen fertilizer. I use ¼ cup of Trifecta+ per plant, but you could also use blood meal or chicken manure at the time of planting.

6. Planting Depth - Plant crowns 2–3 inches deep, with the buds or new growth just at the soil surface (as shown in the image). It is VERY important not to deeply bury the crown because this can cause crown rot.

7. Plant Spacing - Space plants 3–4 feet apart in rows 4–5 feet apart to allow for growth. 

8. Water - Water newly planted rhubarb regularly. Getting plants established is key. Once they are established, plants will be more self-sufficient and not require much watering beyond what they get from regular rainfall. Their lack of maintenance is due to the large, deep, burrowing roots that penetrate deep into the soil up to 2 feet deep! This not only finds lots of nutrients and water, but also ensures the plant will come back year after year even after cold winters.

9. Mulch - Mulch around the base of the plants with a layer of organic material to help retain moisture in the soil and suppress weed growth. 

Fertilizing Rhubarb Plants

After it is established, rhubarb’s thick, deep roots do a good job of sourcing nutrients deep in the soil that many plants are unable to obtain. That said, it likes a nutrient-dense, high-nitrogen environment, so it's still a good idea to fertilize once in the spring and once in the fall each year to keep it growing strong, just as you would fertilize other perennial plants. 

Even though nitrogen is the primary focus, I really want to encourage you to choose a well-balanced fertilizer with other nutrients and trace minerals, like Trifecta+. Just like in your diet, you don’t need the same food all day, every single day, all year long.

How to Grow Rhubarb

Rhubarb is a relatively low-maintenance plant, but there are a few steps you can take to keep it healthy and productive. In the fall, cut back the dead foliage to the ground. Rhubarb can also be divided every 4-5 years to keep the plants from becoming too crowded. 

If you want to get higher yields and get them earlier, try a method called forcing. This is the process of taking a large clay pot, a black trash can, or something that will block sunlight, and covering a plant in early season. As I explained in the video above, this will force the plants to stretch up in search of light. 

Believe it or not, you can also force asparagus with this method to get that beautiful white asparagus that you see in high-end restaurants. If you want to learn how it's done, watch the video above.

Harvesting Rhubarb

You can begin harvesting rhubarb in its second year of growth. Lightly harvest rhubarb in the second year, but for the best results, wait until the third year for heavier harvesting. 

Do not harvest all the stems off a rhubarb plant at once! You should leave around ⅓ of the leaves each year so the plant can continue photosynthesis.

The best way to harvest rhubarb is to grasp the stalk near the base and pull it away from the plant with a gentle twist. Harvest and eat the stalks of rhubarb, not the leaves, which are toxic to consume.

Pro-Tip: The leaves aren’t waste! They can be used as mulch to suppress weeds by spreading them on the soil around your rhubarb plants. Or the leaves can be used as an organic pesticide! Watch this video to learn how to make rhubarb leaves into an effective, all-natural pest control spray.