Rhubarb - Rhubarb - Rhubarb

☀️ 🌿 Best Rhubarb Varieties for Beginners

Different rhubarb varieties have slightly different colors, flavors, and growth habits. Our pot rhubarb is on the herb table, near the strawberries. These 1 litre pots are £4.99 / 3 for £12.

Here are some easy-to-grow types:

🍎 Strong & Productive Varieties

✔ Stockbridge Arrow – Strong, long stems that hold their color and have a delicious flavor.
✔ Glaskin's Perpetual – Impressive flavor and an extended harvest period. Its soft pink and green stems are sweet and can be picked for longer than most varieties.

💡 Early & Forcing Varieties

✔ Champagne – One of the earliest varieties, available to harvest from April. Slender pink stems with a mild flavor. The best variety for forcing.

🌞 How to Grow Rhubarb (Step-by-Step Guide)

Rhubarb is easy to grow as long as it has enough space and rich soil. Here’s a simple guide to get started:

1️⃣ Prepare the Planting Area

✅ Incorporate a LOT of well-rotted manure or compost – around two buckets per square meter.
✅ Make sure the soil is moist but well-drained.

2️⃣ Planting Rhubarb

🌱 Plant crowns (young rhubarb plants) in early spring or autumn.
🌱 Do NOT bury the crowns – they should be slightly visible at the surface. (What’s a rhubarb crown? See the video link in resources below!)
🌱 Space plants 3-4 feet apart to allow room for growth.

3️⃣ Caring for Rhubarb

💧 Watering – Once established, water well when dry.
🌿 Mulching – Every spring, mulch rhubarb with 2-3 inches of rotted manure or compost.
✂️ Dividing Plants – Every 5 years, divide large clumps in November when dormant.

4️⃣ Forcing Rhubarb for an Early Harvest

Forcing encourages earlier growth and sweeter, more tender stems.
🪴 Use a forcing bucket or container over the plant in winter.
⏳ Remove the cover two weeks before harvest to let the plant adjust.

🌿 Harvesting Rhubarb

⏳ First Year: Take only a few stalks—leave most behind for stronger growth the following year.
✂️ Second Year Onward: Harvest from April to July.
🌟 Pick stalks when they are 10-15 inches long by twisting and pulling them away from the base.

🚫 Do NOT eat the leaves – they are toxic! Always remove them before using rhubarb.

🌟 Extra Resources

📌 Everything you need to know and more from the RHS: RHS Rhubarb Guide
🎥 Prefer a video? This one explains crowns at 2:48 and gives great advice on aftercare, harvesting, and forcing.

🌱 Ready to Grow Your Own Rhubarb?

With a little preparation and care, rhubarb will reward you with delicious harvests for years to come. Start planting today and enjoy the taste of homegrown rhubarb in no time! 😊