table of contents
- Rhubarb: ideal location
- Enough space
- Soil quality is important
- frequently asked Questions
If rhubarb shrubs are to be planted, attention should be paid to the correct location. If this fits, then the first and the coming harvest in the following years is guaranteed to be very rich.
In a nutshell
- Rhubarb is perennial (up to eight years)
- can stay in the same location for years
- sunny to partially shaded bed ideal
- deep and humus soil as heavy consumers
- a lot of surrounding space of about one square meter per plant to grow
Rhubarb: ideal location
The ideal place for the tasty rhubarb is a sunny bed. It can also be partially shaded. Because the perennials have the following properties:
- little sun only allows thin stems
- therefore avoid too much shade
- This means that the harvest is less
- too much sun may lead to early flower formation
- Harvest ends sooner
Note: Even if the rhubarb is usually used in sweet dishes such as compote or sweet pancakes, botanically it does not belong to the fruit, but to the vegetable.
Enough space
Rhubarb shrubs need sufficient space in their location so that the individual plants can spread out easily. Because runners are formed over the roots and the individual perennials are very wide as a result. So here is a sufficiently large bed to choose, if that vegetables to be planted:
- at least one square meter for one plant
- for small varieties like "Holsteiner Blut"
- large varieties require more space
- "Goliath" is up to 90 cm high
- choose a space of around 1.5 square meters or larger
Tip: Since the rhubarb bushes spread out a lot and a single plant can produce a good harvest in just a short time it is often enough to only plant two or three perennials in the bed if there is not enough space offers.
Soil quality is important
Rhubarb shrubs are so-called strong eaters that need a lot of nutrients. Therefore, in addition to the ideal location, the quality of the soil is also decisive for a rich harvest.
- deep and humus-rich soil
- It must be possible to hold water well
- Soil always slightly moist
- Avoid waterlogging
- Loamy-sandy soil is ideal
- always fertilize again with compost
- Fold in the bed with compost before planting
- mulch regularly
- provides further nutrients
- not suitable for every plant in mixed culture
Note: If the rhubarb is to be cultivated together with other plants in the vegetable patch, it is important to ensure that not all plants get along. However, kohlrabi, lettuce, spinach, beans or peas are ideal.
frequently asked Questions
If the suitable bed has been found in partial shade or in the sun, then the ideal time to plant the rhubarb is autumn. This is quite unusual, but the plants can usually be harvested as early as next year. If the vegetables are only planted in spring, then you have to wait a year until the first harvest.
Yes, the vegetables can stay in the same place for up to eight years if the soil has been well prepared and fertilized over and over again. Only then will the plant lose its strength and the harvest will slowly fail to come. However, you can always plant new plants in the bed between the old rhubarb bushes and harvest the vegetables for years to come.
As a rule, rhubarb plants are very easy to care for. In spring and during the growing season up to the last harvest in mid-June, you should fertilize sufficiently. You can then leave the bed to rest until next spring. Even if the perennials are hardy, they can be protected against drying out in winter by mulching.
A change of location in the garden is usually not necessary, because the vegetables can produce yields for up to eight years. However, there may be a change if the chosen location is not well suited. It is possible that the stems of the plants remain too thin, which means that the harvest is less. Then the chosen bed in the garden is too shady for the rhubarb plants. If flowers develop too early in the year, it is too sunny and the plants should be placed in more shade. In this case, too, there is no abundant harvest because flowering rhubarb plants are no longer edible.
