Growing Rhubarb Successfully in a UK Garden

Why Rhubarb Deserves a Place on Every Plot

Few crops earn their keep quite like rhubarb. Give it a decent start and it will reward you with thick, tangy stems every spring for a decade or more, long before most other harvests are ready. It is hardy, tolerant of our changeable weather, and genuinely handsome in a border with its crinkled leaves and blushing stalks. Whether you are working a full allotment or simply squeezing a few productive plants into a small kitchen garden, rhubarb is one of the most reliable investments you can make.

The secret is simple: get the planting right, keep the plants well fed and watered, and resist the temptation to over-harvest too soon. Do those three things and you will be pulling stems for crumbles, jams and cordials for years to come.

Choosing a Site and Preparing the Ground

Rhubarb is a long-term resident, so position matters. It dislikes sitting in waterlogged soil but also resents drying out completely in summer. A spot in full sun is ideal, though it will tolerate light shade — particularly in hotter southern gardens where a little afternoon shade helps prevent the leaves from scorching.

Before planting, take time to improve the ground. Rhubarb is a hungry plant and responds dramatically to rich, well-drained soil. Fork the area over to a good spade's depth and work in plenty of well-rotted manure or garden compost. If your soil is heavy clay, add grit as well to improve drainage; if it is light and sandy, extra organic matter will help it hold moisture through dry spells.

• Spacing: allow about 90cm between plants, as crowns spread widely.
• Planting depth: set the crown so the growing point sits just at soil level, never buried.
• Timing: autumn or early spring are both ideal, while the plant is dormant.
• Feed: a generous mulch of compost each spring keeps crowns productive.

If you inherit an old, congested crown on a plot, do not despair — lifting and dividing it will usually restore vigour within a season.

Planting Crowns and Getting Them Established

Buy fresh crowns from a reputable supplier rather than digging up a neighbour's plant mid-season, and avoid planting into frozen or waterlogged ground. Once in, firm the soil gently around the crown and water it in well, even if rain is forecast.

The first year is about building roots, not filling the freezer. Let the plant settle, keep the area weed-free by hand rather than with a hoe near the crown, and water during any dry spells. A crown planted in spring will often throw up a few stems by midsummer, but these are best left alone. Think of that first season as an investment — every leaf you leave is feeding the root system beneath.

Flower spikes may appear on established plants. Unless you are deliberately growing a variety for ornamental effect, snap them off at the base as soon as you spot them. Once a rhubarb runs to flower it puts its energy into seed rather than stems, and the stalks turn stringy.

Watering, Feeding and Seasonal Care

Rhubarb's reputation for toughness can lull growers into neglect. In truth, it performs best with a little attention through the growing season. Water deeply during dry spells in late spring and summer, aiming for a thorough soak once a week rather than a daily sprinkle. Drought stress weakens the crown and reduces next year's crop.

Feeding is straightforward. In early spring, scatter a balanced general fertiliser around the plant and follow it with a thick mulch of well-rotted manure or compost. This feeds the crown, suppresses weeds and helps the soil retain moisture. By late autumn, the leaves will die back naturally. Clear them away to prevent pests and diseases overwintering, but leave the crown itself undisturbed.

• Spring: feed, mulch and water as growth begins.
• Summer: keep watering, remove flower spikes, hand-weed around crowns.
• Autumn: clear dying foliage and tidy the bed.
• Winter: crowns need cold to crop well, so no protection required.

Harvesting Without Harming the Plant

This is where many growers come unstuck. The temptation to pull every stem in the first year is strong, but restraint pays off. Avoid harvesting heavily in the first year after planting — a light pull of one or two stems in late summer is plenty, and many growers take nothing at all. From the second year onwards you can harvest properly, and by the third the plant will be cropping generously.

Harvest from April to July, twisting stems gently sideways and pulling rather than cutting, which leaves a cleaner wound. Take no more than a third to a half of the stems at any one time, and stop by midsummer so the plant can rebuild reserves for next spring. Never eat the leaves — they contain high levels of oxalic acid — but they make an excellent addition to the compost heap.

For an earlier crop, place a bucket or traditional rhubarb forcer over a crown in late winter. The darkness encourages tender, pale stems that are sweeter and ready several weeks ahead of outdoor plants. Forced crowns need a rest the following year, so rotate which plants you cover.

Pests, Problems and Rejuvenation

Rhubarb is remarkably trouble-free, which is part of its charm. Slugs may nibble young shoots in spring, and crown rot can set in where drainage is poor. Keep the area around the crown clear and avoid burying the growing point when planting.

After eight to ten years, crowns often become woody and yields decline. Lifting and dividing them in late autumn or early winter solves this neatly. Split the crown with a spade, discarding the tired centre, and replant the healthiest outer sections with plenty of compost. You will effectively have new plants for free — and a rhubarb patch that keeps on giving for another decade.

Plant one crown well this year, treat it kindly, and you will wonder why you did not start sooner.