Rhubarb
Rheum × hybridum
A fruit, planted at any time of year, or sown February to May.
In September: lift and divide the rhubarb. It can be planted out or planted now.
Your first month is free. No card. Then £4.99 a month or £39.99 a year. You sign in with a link we email you, with no password.
Rhubarb, month by month
Bar: the usual months. Sprout: this month.
| Sowing, planting or job | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | 2027Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow under cover. | none | none | none | none | none | usual | none | none | none | none | none | none |
| Sow outdoors. | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none |
| Plant out. | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none |
| Plant a pot-grown rhubarb. | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual |
| Plant a bare-root rhubarb. | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none |
| Force the rhubarb. | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none | none |
| Lift and divide the rhubarb. | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | usual | usual | none | none | none | none |
| Pull the rhubarb. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual | none |
| Cut the flower stems off the rhubarb. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | none | none |
What to do, and when
The usual months for a UK garden. Your own plan gives the week.
Sowing and planting
Sow under cover in February, 2.5cm deep. Strong source: RHS.
Sow outdoors March to May, 2.5cm deep, 75 to 90cm apart. Strong source: RHS.
Plant out March to May, and September to November, 75 to 90cm apart. Moderate sources: Gardeners’ World and RHS.
Plant a pot-grown rhubarb at any time of year, 75 to 90cm apart. Moderate source: RHS.
Plant a bare-root rhubarb November to March, 75 to 90cm apart, rows 1 to 2m apart. Moderate source: RHS.
Force the rhubarb
Cover a strong, healthy plant with a forcing jar, tall bucket or dustbin, so stems grow in the dark.
Usually November to February. Strong source: RHS.
Lift and divide the rhubarb
Every 5 years, not every year.
Usually March to April, and September to November. Strong source: RHS.
Pull the rhubarb
Wait until its second year in the ground. Pick only a few stems that year.
Usually April to July. Strong source: RHS.
Cut the flower stems off the rhubarb
Remove them at the base as soon as they appear, so they don’t weaken the plant.
Usually April to June. Strong source: RHS.
What the source words mean
Strong: the RHS page for this plant is among them.Moderate: another trusted UK source, or the RHS on its group.
What not to do
Don’t pull rhubarb in its first year
Pull no stems in the first year after planting, and only a few in the second, so the plant gets well established.
Strong source: RHS.
Every line above names the page it comes from. Where we found no good source for a job, we left it out. Where the name “Rhubarb” comes from.