How To Grow Rhubarb To Live 30+ YEARS!
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- čas přidán 13. 07. 2024
- Growing rhubarb doesn't have to be tricky! In today's episode we will discuss how to grow rhubarb, the soil it likes, pH, watering, fertilizing, planting methods, sunlight, and other care tips to growing it successfully!
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Thank you all so much for watching and Grow BIG! - Jak na to + styl
I'm told the rhubarb at my house has been there since the 1940's, and I'm inclined to believe it. Every backyard on my block has rhubarb. The neighborhood was established during the Great Depression. I've lived in this house only 6 years, but never done anything special for the rhubarb. "If it ain't broke"...
Every now and then, maybe 4-6years it is a good idea to divide the crown.
Something my uncle says to me, I’ll let you research if that is appropriate or not.
The root is extremely good medicine as well. Worth taking a bit of the root now and then.
As my parents aged the row of rhubarb that was there as a kid was taken over by trees. It was tiny and almost not existent and I remembered they were huge bushes. I dug up the plants which were so small now and the roots were like jelly. I didn’t think they would make it. I moved them to full sun in a new plot. Threw a handful of bonemeal in each planting hole. To my surprise they took off like mad! They were huge again by summer! We had sandy soil.
My MIL had clay soil and did nothing with it and it was always a strong shrub. It was located away from trees in the middle of the yard surrounded by grass.
@@dustyflats3832 people dislike the sound of clay, but don’t forget it has lots of nutrients, they are usually just compacted, bound and not too accessible for most plants.
Double dig and amend the soil and it should be good for many plants for a long time.
@@dustyflats3832 That’s great to hear! I have a few tough plants that have been untended for about 40 yrs. I plan to move them. Thanks for the bonemeal tip.
As children we used to dip a raw stick of rhubarb into sugar and eat it that way. Delicious.
Rhubarb make a house a home. I have some rhubarb plants in old tractor tires and they seem to do well. My biggest problem with growing rhubarb is actually my chickens. They like to seek refuge under the leaves and nest to hatch out chicks. One hen does this every year and has gotten the name Rhubarb because of it.
My great-grandmother planted her rhubarb in 1921. After she passed away my grandfather then my parents owned her home. My mother tore out the last of my great-grandmothers rhubarb in 2017. Yup, rhubarb is a long lived plant!!!!! Great video MIGardener!!!!!!
Mine died last season. Looked in its container last week so I can plant something else and saw that it came back to life :)
Thank you so much, Luke! You have solved a mystery of many years' standing! My husband and I planted two rhubarb plants about 15 years ago. We did everything wrong, as it turns out. We did not double dig; we did not mound; we did not add enough compost; the light is probably a little low, as there is a cherry tree to their west, which may steal some of the afternoon sun, AND we planted them very close to our asparagus patch. But in spite of this, they grew. We were excited, but then, after a promising start, they die back every year. I could not figure it out! It was so frustrating that a few years ago, I tried to dig them up and dispose of them. But no, they refuse to die! They keep coming back every spring, but they never thrive. Finally, I know why. Thank you again, Luke! I think we need to start over and do things right! But I will also try to amend the soil for the two "lost" plants, to see if something like that could help them really grow after all these years of frustration. 😊
When my mom passed I dug a portion of her rhubarb plant for my own yard. I transported it in a 10 inch pot. When I got home there was too much going on so I just threw the pot in my 4 foot tall garden box because I have sprinklers that go off automatically. It stayed there all summer. When I went to move it the roots had grown from the top of the bed clear thru the bottom. It was about 5 feet long. I had no idea those roots could grow that long and they were very big roots. I was able to find a new spot for the rhubarb and it is doing well.
The rhubarb in my parents side yard has been there since before my dad was born and he's 70!!! And it's been totally ignored for at least all of my lifetime (turning 42) 😊
My family has moved several times and we always dig up our rhubarb. It belonged to my great grandparents and my great grandma used to make strawberry rhubarb from the same plant. This was over 30 years ago and the plant is still thriving
At my Grandparents house they have a patch that is close to 100 yrs old
I have plants my grandfather started in the 1950’s.
I have fond memories as a child eating rhubarb raw in our backyard in the summers ❤
Rhubarb is one of the perfect crops for a perennial off grid garden.
We had a rhubarb patch in Fairbanks, AK. Because of the near 24-hr sunlight in the summer, it grew huge and really sweet
Thanks for this video, Luke! I had done so many things wrong when I planted three teensy-weensy rhubarb--- well, couldn't call them crowns, they were more like individual roots and had already broken dormancy and *I* actually had little to no idea what I was doing besides trying to get at least one of them through a very dry and hot period here in Ohio.
One, just one, survived. I had done a whole lot of pleading with it, and near-crying, too, as well as watering (a lot, and often, but we're on extremely sandy soil, here) but ultimately it pulled through.
Eventually relocated it to the diagonally opposite corner of the garden. Probably did that at the wrong time---I don't remember---but the rhubarb was gallantly heroic and never faltered in its new home.
Didn't know it wants fertilizing at the end of the season; this fall, I'll see to that.
Thanks again
My rhubarb crown is on its way. I ordered it from MIGardener recently so it’s good to know what to do when it arrives.
I remember my dad bringing some in for the winter and keeping it in the basement. We had the best spring rhubarb . Have you ever heard of this?
I do that!
How? Just the stalks with or without leaves attached?
Yea! I have always wanted to grow rhubarb! Now I know how to grow it for best results. Cheers!
Found this video in search of as much info as possible. I’ve grown Rhubard from seed two years in a row. Last year I started some out in the yard, and some of those came up this year. But none have grown to any significant size, very small, nothing to harvest. This year I planted what I grew into one of my raised beds, and I’m hoping it’ll do well. I’m trying to start that 30+ year rhubard that my kids and grandkids will talk about some day! 😊
They may grow from seed, get a crown and you will have rhubarb next year or two.
Thanks for the perfect timing of this video. One of our neighbors is giving several established rhubarb plants to us from their backyard. Rhubarb is one of my most favorite foods and I am really excited to get it growing in our garden!
I planted crowns 2 weeks ago, 1 crowns already showing signs of rot, it sunk down with all the rain we’ve been getting. The other crown I planted is setting roots and is just as happy as can be. After watching this I checked them, I was afraid they sunk, sure enough 1 did, it’s a goner, already squishy. I redid my mounds.
Thank you for making this video
Perfect timing for the video! I planted some last year (one in the greenhouse and one in front of the house). During the summer it completely died back. We thought we had lost it from crown rot or just from the heat since it gets very hot here in Arkansas. I was raised in Michigan and miss the rhubarb so much i just HAD to plant some. To our amazement, it came back this year - they both lived!! As for fertilizing, should it be done twice a year or just once if it is an established plant? Thank you SO MUCH for doing this video~ you answered all my questions but that one.
Love my rhubarb! I plant it everywhere I move to
Thank you so much, Luke, for this video. This explains why my rhubarb dug up and given to me never thrived and died.😢 EVERYTHING we needed to know and more to inspire me to try again if I can find space in my small area!
Im glade you started talking more about PH in your videos.
It is a very critical part of growing for happy healthy plants. And most Deficiencies can be cured just with adjusting the PH. (Most not all.)
I've already harvested about 5 pounds from my patch in Western Canada. Making wine.
We keep getting frost here in central Ohio so I am waiting to harvest mine. I am not sure how long it takes to move the oxalic acid out of the stalks.
I like your “Grow Bigger” at the end of your videos. I also like this ending, “Grow Bigger, Better!”
I always forget to check the pH needs of plants before I buy their seeds. I have the Victoria Rhubarb from MIGardening shop growing under seed starting lights right now and in Colorado we have very alkaline soil. I’m still going to do what I need to do to try to change the pH of the raised bed it’s going to be growing in from now on, but I do appreciate the video because now I won’t have my heart as broken if it doesn’t last for me because I will know a reason why it didn’t last.
It’s so attractive you can use it in your landscaping
Great information, I started some Victoria seeds this past winter and I’m going to use them to fill in some bare spots in my rhubarb patch in northern Maine
Started some by seed this year.😊
I was told to divide my rhubarb every 4 years. Is that true and can you show us how to do it?
How do you know when to pick and why do mine grow so many seed heads
I went and pulled out some rhubarb root ball and all from the rhubarb growing outside in the ground so now it looks better but the ones I harvested I put into a cardboard box Indoors with some of the dirt it was growing in (Not very much) and they are growing very very well! I plan to later on to replant them in other locations and perhaps even donate a few out to others.
Yes! EVERYTHING IN MODERATION
Last week we had temps 30s-50s. Today we had 90. I planted rhubarb last week 🤦! Hopefully it survives!
I have 4 rhubarb plants (2 store bought and 2 from seed) I wish I had known all of this a year ago 🤣. I’ve never even tasted it but I knew I wanted it. I did put it where it would be out of the way and can grow to its heart’s content, but I had no idea about planting it on a mound. It’s doing pretty well though. So I’m guessing it’s just beginners luck. I’m excited for my first harvest and to finally give this plant a taste!
It tastes amazing! Very tart though, which is why it goes great with strawberries and lots of sugar. It is my favorite pie of all time! You'll love it!
It's great mixed with strawberries for strawberry rhubarb pie! Yum! 🥧🍓
@@julianokleby1448 just make sure the "lots of sugar" part of life is very minimal 😅
@@Acts-1322 Right? My husband and I are both type 2 diabetics, but we watch it very closely. The nice thing about rhubarb is it freezes very well, so you can save some for pies later on in the year. And as long as you chop it up, it doesn't take up much freezer space. I can't wait for ours to ripen enough to pick a few stalks! My mouth is watering just thinking about it! 😋
@@Acts-1322 By the way, I love your name on here!! A man after God's own heart!
Can you do an episode about growing rhubarb from seed? I have 18 seedlings from seed I got from you and am not sure what to do now
I got some Victoria rhubarb starters from the garden center, as well as some Tracy rhubarb seeds. I'm trying to see which will work best. The seeds seem slow to grow, but the seed assortment supposedly presents with diverse traits. With any luck I'll have rhubarb for years to come. The irony is that the previous owners of the house had rhubarb growing wildly throughout their garden, and we didn't know what to do with it.
I have established rhubarb it has been trying to bloom alot this yr. I have heard it needs to be divided when it blooms alot. Can you give any directions on doing that?
😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊 Thank you very much for the information!😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
I got a bulb as a gift in the fall and planted it, made my first mistake by burying it an inch, but it still poped in the spring, plus I had to replant it to its new rhubarb box, where I buried it again but not so deep. They are doing fine, and will do better with help from this chanell. Thanx.😊
Hey Luke, how do you take care of it after it is well established ?
The Key 🔑 To Keeping Established Perennials THRIVING in Your #garden
This was really helpful!!!!!
So glad big helped!
Perfect rhubarb timing.
It’s very early here in my zone (I’m almost zone 4 - at a higher elevation in zone 5 in Northern PA), but my rhubarb is bolting and has flower buds already. (Victoria and Canada Red varieties) only have a few random red stalks, even though the plants are in their third year. What should I do with the bolting.
I planted these in a raised bed. I have only been composting, so I am looking forward to see if fertilizing, as you have described, helps. Thank you!
I have seeds growing already, already have a plant that comes up every year for at least 30 years. My parents just dug a hole and planted it. Didn’t do anything to the soil.
I was planning to plant some rhubarb seeds I got last year so here's to hoping they live.
If you test the PH of your soil in the way you described, won't the PH of the water that you use affect the results?
Should we use distilled water?
Other videos say they want to be split and moved every 5 years. I just moved and split some the year before last that had not ever been moved and it's doing great.
I’m transplanting all of my rhubarb. Gonna transplant
Hosta plants too. To much rain here in Minnesota. Its gotta dry out.
Nothing kills the purple hostas I have. Like crabgrass. They are everywhere.😖
Had dozens of rhubarb over covid dear killed off rhubarb that had been growing in those spots for decades... county sides with dear, the dear that are even deep in town.
Our rhubarb is growing in full shade... except for early spring when the pear tree above it has no leaves. It is there for at least 40 years and we can harvest every year... It would be interesting to see if full sun would make it grow differently.
Never tried Rhubarb, to grow or eat. 😂😂😂 I live in the Deep South. We are Sweet Potato people. No seriously, I really would like to try Rhubarb! 😄😄
Still some questions. How much rhubarb will one crown produce? If I plant more than one crown, how far apart should they be?
Would this still be perennial in high altitude, heavy snowfall areas (I just got a foot of snow April 27th)?
Can I transplant rhubarb? There are 3 plants that I know are about 40 years old, but they’re struggling where they are. Truly, it’s amazing they’ve survived on their own in Montana. Also, my mom loved her rhubarb, too. 💕. She grew it but to my knowledge I never ate any of it, I think she loved it for its sheer ability to thrive in a very adverse climate.
Yes, you can transplant.
@@candacewilliams6869 I did, about a week ago and they’re doing great! Thanks!
Just thought about growing this yesterday.
Good cooked down with a few strawberries to redden it… lots of sugar. Good sauce for ice cream…
Is that epic garden intro music?
Rhubarb is great for extending the drip edge of a tree line out a bit farther for more capture. The roots also are really good medicine.
Grandmother always used the tart cherries from their tree with rhubarb for pies I still dream about those. GA hardly knows what it is let alone grow in this soil and heat.
4.45 a lb before covid,haven't seen it in years.
8$ a pound in western mass
How close together can you plant the rhubarb?
Hey Luke, I really like your videos. I have an issue with my rhubarb patch. It was planted over 50 years ago by my grandfather with help from me as i was 5 years old (sure I helped...hahaha). I do not do anything with it other than harvest. While I was away, my neighbors were allowed to harvest the stalks. Well, someone dug up the plants and killed half of the patch. Since then, I don't allow anyone to harvest but only me. I currently only have about three plants that come up and I'd like to restore the patch. How do I go about splitting the plants, should I do that and general maintenance required? Can help lead me in the right direction so I can save the patch?
Please Please cover starting Rhubarb from seed. I started Rhubarb from seed this year and am flying blind. Do I plant it out when the snow here is finally gone? Do I leave it in a pot until it forms a crown? Please help.
I’m interested as well. I literally just followed the package instructions, basically just tossed the seeds in, oops! 🤷🏼♀️🤦♀️😁. Wish me luck. Thankfully my neighbors have rhubarb and they let me harvest theirs.
So, how about pulling up established plants and replanting them in deeper, better soil?
Good idea.
When saving seed from old rhubarb plants, is it best to wait to save seed from the later bolting plants or does it even matter?
Luke , can I mound a rhubarb plant that is already established and been growing for three years
I have very limited space. Do you think it will grow in a 5 gallon bucket?
Wondering about spacing. I have 4 plants I stared from seed and I am thinking they will need about 2 ft. between them. Is that enough space?
How long until we see growth from the crown?
Many years ago you planted strawberries in that white hanging pipe rack on the fence there. You never fallowed up on how it did, but I haven’t seen anything in it since then. Can you update?
They probably froze. Strawberries will not survive in pots in cold zones. If they do they were lucky or sporadic. I know as I had a great self watering system I built with tubs. The first year I barely covered as they were up on a platform. The next year I buried the tubs in ground and they were ok, but still not thriving. I gave it up because it was too much work. It was a great system, but for warmer climate.
HI WHERE DID YOU BUY THE RHUBARB CROWNS FROM? WHAT SUPPLIER?
PLEASE REPLY.
I may have planted my rhubarb wrong. I may have not planted it with the crown high enough, I also added too much peat moss and watered too frequently. I was getting lots of thin yellowing leave and lost two plants. Going into the spring right now, should I dig the rhubarb up and mix the soil with lots of compost make a mound, and then cover it with lots of mulch? I would replant with the crows slightly above the mulch.
Can Rhubarb grow in zone 9b?
My rhubarb I tried growing in like 4-5 hours sun was so sad. It got big but had serious aphid problems and was just kind of sickly looking. I have asparagus that seems happy next to it.
Seems like it takes a couple years to get going. But I didn’t mound or double dig.
Does rhubarb spread on its own?
Can you replant your rhubarb if it is struggling. Mine has been growing in this spot for over 50 years.I know of.
👍👍👍👍👍
Any success doing rhubarb in a large container?
I started from seed and have 10 good size plants, when can I put them out in my garden, zone 6a last estimated frost date may 5th
Have you been exposing it to the elements? Rhubarb is pretty tough and could probably go out right now but if it’s been under grow lights in the house then that might be a shock. I split mine this year and am leaving the pots outside. It’s gone into the mid 20s and they’re still ok.
@@amyschmelzer6445 they are in the house but not under lights, I have put them outside for a few hours at a time when it hasn't been freezing or pouring rain. So if I harden off throughout the next week, I should be good?
@@amandamoody9705 I think so
@@amyschmelzer6445 thank you!
That's not double-digging, but thanks for the other info
I just bought my first rhubarb crown... so it will be a while before I bake a rhubarb pie.😢
I've tried growing rhubarb. But we have clay soil. Now I understand why it wouldn't survive. It drowned in our wet garden.
My in-laws had extremely clay soil and theirs thrived in the open lawn. Huge stalks.
Sand and clay do not make concrete..
Infact the definition of a LOAM is sand silt and clay. And that is true soil. Everything else is actually just organic biomass inputs.
I do not understand how, or if it is possible to use rhubarb in not sweetened forms. i grow several perennial foods, but most stand alone if needed such as berries and fruits, or augment other foods such as my sage and oregano. i have searched high and low for a way to justify the space for rhubarb but pie, jam, or other highly sweetened foods have not allowed me to do so. If anyone here has suggestions for usage other than sweets i would LOVE to learn and hear them! In my heart i need to grow rhubarb. in my head i dont. help!
It supposed to have antibacterial antioxidant and anticancer properties. So it's not all bad. Just use in moderation I guess?
I read somewhere about a man who uses it in cooking beef stew.
Google savoury rhubarb recipes! There are actually loads of them out there.
I would compare the size of rhubarb to that of elephant ear.
Slugs and wasps devoured my 3 rhubarbs.
Luke, what's going on? I keep seeing your videos pop up today, then disappear. Will we be able to access the ones that have disappeared? Are you aware that the videos you've posted today have disappeared? Weirdness.
You don’t know what you’re talking about if you think rhubarb needs a lot of sun. It evolved to be a woodland edge species. It grows in even the shadiest places. Crown rot won’t be an issue unless you bury the crown, planting on a mound will just make watering less efficient.
😂He caters to a certain set of gardeners. Cultivated Rhubarb need tender loving care only humans can provide.
The trees were taking over the rhubarb I knew to be huge shrubs as a kid. I pulled some of them and the roots were like jelly. They didn’t get enough sun and crowded with tree saplings. Threw them in full sun with bonemeal and was amazed they came back to their full glory.
@@dustyflats3832 in the UK people grow them in shady spots all the time, many of the cultivars originate here. They need probably 2-4 hours of sun to grow ok, more the better but the large leaves are an adaptation to shade. The leaves funnel water to the crown so it doesn’t mind water at all. Just doesn’t want to be planted deep. Mulched in a ring around for the same reason.
And you don’t listen. I said it would survive, but it would be more small and the plant wouldn’t thrive. No rhubarb has ever been grown to its full potential size being shaded.
I read that rhubarb needs to be established for 3 years before it should be harvested. Is that true?
If you are starting from a crown, the plant is already very well-established, and could potentially be ready to harvest after just two seasons.
Hmmm…looks like I’ll be moving my spindly rhubarb… not enuf Sun hours….
That will do it!
Rhubarb doesn't like to be moved? Really? But we split the crowns and move the parts and it doesn't harm the plant, in fact it helps the plant to grow stronger.
But what about them potatoes???😂😂
I thought I was the only one that saw potatoes lol
@@DaughterofYah83 was watching when it first popped up, then it cut off on me.
There were a few of his videos that got posted, then disappeared. So weird.