Growing Rhubarb

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Rhubarb Rhubarb Rhubarb

Richard Bailey, Wallington, Surrey

Rhubarb, although always cooked and eaten as if it were a fruit, is usually grown in the vegetable garden - and rates as a vegetable on the show bench.

There can be few gardens without a clump or two of rhubarb, often tucked away in a corner and seldom giving of its best. Yet it is a crop that amply repays a little care and attention.

Establishing the Rhubarb Bed

A new rhubarb bed is best raised from divisions planted out in November, although it can be set out as late as March. Old crowns should be split, using a spade, into wedge shaped pieces with two or three buds on the outer edge, the inner part can usually be pared away with a knife (although old crowns are often hollow). Many growers, especially older ones, say that you should always leave the crowns on the surface to expose them to a hard frost before splitting them.

Rhubarb is not fussy as to soil but should be planted in slightly raised beds if the soil is very heavy. It does, however, need an open site as it will not tolerate shade. Prepare the soil carefully by digging to two spits (spade depths), the roots go deep, and work in plenty of farm yard manure or compost as you go. In choosing a site remember that the leaves are heavy and reach at least 2 feet (60 cm) all round the crown. Set the divisions 21/2-3 ft (75-90 cm) apart with the buds at or just below the surface.

All the books tell you not to gather any sticks in the first year of a new rhubarb bed. In my experience crowns planted before Christmas, in well prepared soil, never suffer if a few sticks are taken in July or August of their first year. However, the first good crop will not come until the second or third year.

Growing Rhubarb

Once you have established your plants the first basic principle of rhubarb growing is that plants should be kept dry in winter and moist in summer. A covering of leaves applied in October and removed in February will help in winter and a mulch of compost, leaf mould or farm yard manure applied in April will keep moisture in the soil during the summer. Always make sure, however, that the soil is thoroughly moist before applying this summer mulch. If in doubt water well in dry seasons.

The second basic principle is to remember that rhubarb is essentially a leaf crop (no leaves, no stems) and that leaf crops need nitrogen. If you use farm yard manure for your summer mulch additional nitrogen will probably not be needed but a light dressing of nitrogenous fertiliser in March seldom goes amiss. Most of the rhubarb I see on the showbench, or on allotments, shows signs of chronic starvation

An established bed needs little attention beyond feeding and watering. The heavy foliage smothers most weeds. The only serious diseases are viruses which make the plant yellow and weakly - these are incurable and affected plants should be destroyed. Slugs can be a problem - they seldom make serious attacks on the rhubarb itself, but use the rhubarb bed as a hotel from which to decimate other crops. You must, however, remove flower spikes as they appear and clear away dead leaves throughout summer and autumn.

A well planted rhubarb bed will yield a satisfactory crop for ten or twelve years until the crowns get too many small buds. They should then be lifted, divided and replanted - leaving some crowns untouched to ensure continuity of supply.

Forcing Rhubarb

Rhubarb can be forced by lifting crowns in November and potting them up to be grown in the cellar or beneath the greenhouse staging. Or more simply by putting a bucket over the crowns in January. I find this too fiddly and rely on growing the cultivar Timperley Early' that gives me usable sticks in mid February without any need to force it.

Generally speaking rhubarb is best harvested for a period of four months from the time you take the first sticks. Three months if you have forced crowns.

Rhubarb Cultivars

Cultivars to grow include: 'Champagne' and Timperley Early' for early crops; 'Cawood Delight', 'Holstein Blood Red', The Sutton' and 'Victoria' for later harvesting.

This article originally appeared in the Members Bulletin, the journal of the National Vegetable Society, which is sent quarterly to members. You can Join the National Vegetable Society here

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