How To Plant Rhubarb, Planting Rhubarb In A Container, Vegetable Gardening

How To Plant Rhubarb, How To Plant Rhubarb In A Container, Vegetable Gardening, Container Gardening

Is there anything better than Rhubarb and Apple crumble? Probably but that isn’t what this video is about.
Rhubarb is actually a vegetable with the stems being the part that we eat, when they have been cooked. The stems are also really good to use as a natural dye.

Planting and growing Rhubarb is really really easy. Rhubarb requires a moisture retentive soil that is free draining and in a full sun or partial shade position. So long as enough water can be applied during the hotter months Rhubarb does really well when grown in a large container.
Ideally you don’t want to pick stems in the first year of planting but in subsequent years you can pick from February/March, if plants have been forced, through to the end of July. As you get later in the season the stems will develop a more bitter taste.

Planting.
Tools required;
Spade,
Fresh compost,
Slow release fertiliser

Add some fresh compost to your existing soil to create about a 40:60 mix compost:soil.
Place the mixture into the base of container. If planting Rhubarb directly into the ground then dig a deep hole about 18” (45cm) deep and add the compost to the soil that has been dug out to create your planting mix.
Back fill the hole until you have brought the soil level up to a point where, when the Rhubarb crown is placed on top of the soil it’s top most eyes (leaf buds) will be about 1” (3cm) above the proposed finishing soil level.
Sit the Rhubarb crown onto the soil in the bottom of the planting hole and then fill around using the soil mix.
Fill half way up the crown and lightly firm down the soil around the crown and roots. Firming the soil will help to remove air pockets that can trap excess water, leading to potential root rot.
Fill to top of the container or planting hole and firm again.
I add a light covering of compost to the surrounding area as well as applying a dressing of slow release fertiliser.
You will not need to apply water until the crown begins to develop leaves.
Make sure to keep the plants a little on the moist side so as to develop larger stems.

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