Ravishing Rhubarb : The Ultimate Guide to Growing Rhubarb Like a Pro!

Guest post by Katrina & Clayton

Rhubarb is a cool-weather crop that thrives in Scotland’s temperate climate. It is a long-lived perennial, meaning it can provide harvests for several years once established. Rhubarb enters dormancy in winter, only to return stronger in spring, making it a relatively low-maintenance plant that gets better with age.

Growing Rhubarb in Scotland

Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) is a hardy perennial vegetable that thrives in cooler climates, making it an ideal crop for Scottish gardens. With its large leaves and thick, red green stalks, rhubarb is not only a productive plant but also adds striking visual appeal to the garden. Known for its tart flavour, rhubarb is commonly used in pies, jams, and desserts. Growing rhubarb in Scotland requires proper attention to planting, pruning, dividing, and care.

Climate Considerations:

Cool Temperatures: Rhubarb prefers cooler temperatures and requires a winter chilling period of at least 7°C for successful growth. Scottish winters provide the perfect conditions for rhubarb dormancy, allowing the plant to store energy and return vigorously in spring.

Frost Hardiness: Rhubarb is highly frost-tolerant, making it an excellent crop for the Scottish climate. The plant can survive freezing temperatures, though newly emerging shoots in early spring may need protection from late frosts.

Long Growing Season: Scotland’s long summer days provide plenty of sunlight, which helps rhubarb develop thick, juicy stalks. Rhubarb grows best in full sun or partial shade, making it versatile enough to be planted in various garden locations.

Planting Rhubarb

Rhubarb is usually planted in early spring or autumn, though it’s best to plant dormant crowns or divisions in autumn to allow the plant to establish during winter dormancy. Rhubarb can also be grown from seed, but this method takes longer to produce mature plants.

Site Selection: Choose a sunny or partially shaded location for your rhubarb. The plant needs at least 6 hours of sunlight daily, though it can tolerate light shade in hotter climates. Ensure the location has well-drained soil, as rhubarb does not like soggy conditions.

Spacing: Rhubarb plants can grow quite large, with leaves spreading over a metre wide, so space crowns about 90 cm (3 feet) apart to give them room to develop.

Planting Depth: Dig a hole that is deep enough to accommodate the crown (the base from which the roots grow), ensuring that the top of the crown sits about 2-3 cm below the soil surface.

Watering: Water the crown well after planting to help it establish. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.

Pruning Rhubarb

Unlike many other plants, rhubarb doesn’t require traditional pruning. However, there are specific maintenance tasks that involve cutting back stalks and flowers to keep the plant healthy and productive.

Removing Flower Stalks:

Bolting Prevention: In the second year of growth, rhubarb may start producing flower stalks. These should be removed as soon as they appear, as allowing the plant to flower diverts energy away from producing edible stalks. Cut the flower stalks as close to the base as possible to encourage more vigorous leaf growth.

Post-Harvest Pruning: At the end of the growing season (autumn), once the leaves start to die back naturally, cut the foliage down to ground level. This helps the plant conserve energy for the next growing season and prevents disease from overwintering in the foliage.

Dividing Rhubarb

Dividing rhubarb plants every 5-7 years is essential to maintaining their health and productivity. Division rejuvenates older plants, allowing them to continue producing strong, healthy stalks, and also gives you the opportunity to propagate new plants.

When to Divide:

The best time to divide rhubarb is in early spring, just before the new growth begins, or in late autumn when the plant is dormant.

How to Divide Rhubarb:

Dig Up the Plant: Carefully dig up the entire rhubarb crown, taking care to include as much of the root system as possible.

Divide the Crown: Use a sharp spade or knife to divide the crown into sections. Each division should have at least one or two buds and a healthy portion of root.

Replanting: Replant the divisions immediately in prepared soil, spacing them 90 cm apart to allow for growth. Water them thoroughly to help them establish in their new location.

Caring for Rhubarb

Once established, rhubarb is relatively low-maintenance, but it still requires some attention to ensure healthy growth and a productive harvest.

Watering: Rhubarb prefers consistently moist soil, so water regularly, especially during dry periods. However, avoid waterlogging, as this can lead to crown rot. Established plants are relatively drought tolerant, but consistent watering during dry spells will improve yield and stalk quality.

Mulching: Mulching helps retain moisture, suppress weeds, and improve soil fertility. Apply a layer of organic mulch, such as straw or compost such as Caledonian Green Goodness, around the base of the plant in spring and autumn.

Disease Control: To prevent crown rot, ensure that the soil drains well and avoid planting rhubarb in areas prone to waterlogging. Slugs and snails may occasionally nibble on young leaves, but they rarely cause significant damage.

Companion Planting with Rhubarb

Rhubarb benefits from being planted near certain companion plants that can help deter pests, improve soil health, or provide beneficial shade.

Good Companion Plants:

Onions and garlic: These plants help deter aphids and other pests that may target rhubarb.

Brassicas (cabbage, kale, broccoli): Rhubarb’s large leaves can provide beneficial shade to these cool-weather crops, helping to keep the soil cooler and moisture.

Strawberries: Strawberries and rhubarb are often planted together in the garden. The plants complement each other in both space and flavour, and neither competes heavily for nutrients.

Beans and peas: These nitrogen-fixing plants help enrich the soil, benefiting heavy feeders like rhubarb.

Bad Companion Plants:

Melons and cucumbers: These plants prefer much warmer growing conditions than rhubarb, so they’re not ideal companions in a cool climate like Scotland.

Fennel: Fennel is known to inhibit the growth of many plants, including rhubarb, so it’s best kept separate.

Rhubarb is a robust and low-maintenance plant that thrives in the cool, wet climate of Scotland. By following the guidelines for planting, pruning, dividing, and caring for rhubarb, you can enjoy a great harvest of this vegetable year after year. With proper companion planting and the right soil conditions, rhubarb will become a staple in your garden and your kitchen.

Important Note: Avoid the Leaves

While the stalks are edible, the leaves of the rhubarb plant contain high levels of oxalic acid and other toxins, making them inedible and potentially harmful if ingested. Always discard the leaves when harvesting rhubarb.

Katrina & Clayton

Katrina & Clayton live with their family in East Ayrshire in Scotland and share their daily life in the garden on instagram @buildingfoodforest_scotland. They practice permaculture principles, reducing & repurposing waste whenever they can. Katrina shows how home educating in nature has helped Clayton thrive.

Clayton Completed The Grow and Learn Course with the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society in 2022. This year he will be completing Level 2 Nurture Course. Clayton is 16, Autistic, Non Verbal & has been Home Educated for the last 6yrs. Both Katrina and husband Peter have studied the Permaculture Design Course PDC and PDC Pro over the last 5yrs, developing their garden from grass to an ongoing food forest.

They have featured on BBC Beechgrove Gardens, Gardeners World Magazine and write for Scotland Grows Magazine.  Katrina has a series of children’s story books out following the life of Clayton in the garden. Available at Amazon.

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