When can I start picking my rhubarb?

Year two onwards. Don't pull stalks in the first season after planting — let the crown build up. From year two, pull stalks from April through to mid-July. Stop picking from mid-July to let the plant restore itself for the following year. A mature crown gives 30–50 stalks a season for 20+ years.

Are rhubarb leaves really poisonous?

Yes, the leaves contain oxalic acid in concentrations high enough to cause illness or worse. Strip the leaves off the stalks in the garden and compost them; only eat the stalks. The stalks contain small amounts of oxalic acid too but at safe levels — like spinach or chard. The general rule with rhubarb: stalks yes, leaves no.

How do I force rhubarb for early sweet stalks?

In late January, cover one crown completely with a tall opaque container — a traditional terracotta forcer, a large bucket, or a tall plastic pot. Exclude all light. The plant pushes up pale pink, tender, very sweet stalks in 6–8 weeks. Pick when stalks are 25–30 cm long, then remove the cover. The forced crown must rest the following summer — don't pick from it again until the year after.

Why is my rhubarb sending up flower stalks?

Stress or maturity. Hot dry weather, lack of feeding, or simply an old plant. Cut the flower stalks off at the base as soon as they appear — they take energy from the crown that would otherwise go into next year's stalks. Mulch heavily and water well. If a crown is still flowering after attention, it's probably time to divide it.

How long do rhubarb crowns last?

20+ years, often much longer. Crowns inherited from old gardens can be 50+ years old and still productive. Divide every 5–7 years to keep them vigorous; replace only when even divided sections produce poorly.

When does rhubarb come into season in the UK?

Forced rhubarb: March (the famous Yorkshire forced rhubarb is harvested by candlelight in dark sheds). Outdoor rhubarb: April through to early July. Don't pick after mid-July — stalks get tough and stringy, and the plant needs time to build for next year.

Rabarber

Rheum × hybridum

Plant rhubarb crowns from November to March in a sunny spot with deep, rich, moist soil — well-rotted manure dug in heavily before planting pays back for the next 20 years. Rhubarb is very hardy (RHS H7) and one of the few crops that survives anything a UK winter can throw at it. Don't crop in year one (let the crown build up); pull stalks from April onwards in year two and beyond. Force one crown each year for early sweet pink stalks (cover with a tall pot in January for stalks in March). Mulch heavily in November with manure or compost; rhubarb is one of the hungriest crops in the garden. Crowns last 20+ years.

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