If rhubarb is planted properly and receives good care, it can be a great crop for those who enjoy this distinctively different vegetable.
Rhubarb is a cold-climate crop. It should have a well-drained soil and for best results it should be planted in a fertile loam containing a good bit of organic matter. Early spring is the best time to plant.
Rhubarb requires high fertility for good production. Dig a trench about 18 inches deep and 12 inches wide. Add about 2 inches of soil mixed with manure, fertilizer and compost. Moisten and pack the soil. Place the rhubarb divisions upright at about 3 foot intervals and cover with top soil so they are 2 to 3 inches below the surface. Apply a heavy mulch for weed control but maintain a bare area directly over the plants.
Soon stalks of rhubarb will appear but refrain from pulling any the first year. The second year, only remove several of the stalks. This enables the roots to become established and for the crown to enlarge. Any seed stalks should be removed.
In the fall, mulch your rhubarb plants with straw or manure. If it is not too heavy, it can be left in place in the spring or removed only from the crown area.
Rhubarb, when well-established will produce an abundance of stems for many years. Remove week or slender stalks in the spring in order to stimulate better development of those that are left to be pulled for food.
Crown rot is the most serious trouble of the rhubarb. It is more likely to occur in poorly drained soil after periods of prolonged rainfall. Use of Bordeaus mixture or any other good copper fungicide as a drench is helfpul. Should any plants die from this trouble, remove them to prevent contamination of the healthy plants.
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