Growing Rhubarb Properly.

Freshly harvested and prepared rhubarb.

No other plant in the vegetable garden tends to get neglected more than rhubarb. It is probably because Rhubarb is a long term resident of it's own particular part of the patch! Familiarity breeds contempt.

Whereas most other vegetables are planted anew each year, Rhubarb will happily - or not happily - occupy the same area for many years. If it is not treated properly, it will become less productive as the years go by.

Every autumn, the Rhubarb crowns should be dug up with a spade and each crown divided into two or three sections. Simply cut through with a sharp spade. each piece of crown should have a good bud eye, and a far amount of root system. Either re-plant in a new position, or dig in plenty of rotted compost or manure into the existing area. Allow plenty of space for the newly 'acquired' crowns. Up to 5ft apart is about right. this will allow the Rhubarb to grow for a number of years in the same area without becoming too overcrowded.

keep the crowns well watered in the summer, and each year mulch in spring and autumn with a good layer of rotted manure or compost. Then, your rhubarb will start to look like the juicy specimens in the picture above.

The rhubarb crowns will need to be divided every four to five years or so.