When you grow rhubarb, one of the most rewarding things is watching the flowers grow from very little plants. The beautiful purple, pink or orange flowers are a sight to behold. These succulents are best planted in warm, sunny locations because they require a lot of sunlight. Growing rhubarb will require that it be placed in a pot on a trellis or hung upside down. When the rhubarb is young, you can pinch the stem and dry them in the oven, but when the plant is mature, you will want to prune the entire rhubarb.
Growing Rhubarb Plants. Your rhubarb must be grown in the late winter to early spring. Space the plants 3 feet from each other in rich, well-drained soil. Position the blooms at the top of the soil and fill up the bottom with dirt. You will need to water the plant heavily, cultivate it often and give it plenty of fertilizer during the first year. In addition, it’s important that you don’t over-fertilize because it will cause your crop to be susceptible to diseases.
Caring for Your Crops When your rhubarb plant starts to mature, it will produce beautiful purple, pink, orange, and brown flowers. Each year, you will have to deadhead the crop which involves removing the dead leaves from the plant. After deadheading, you will need to lightly cover the leaves with a mulch so that they don’t wilt. You will have to tend to your crop by pulling off the dead leaves regularly.
Gardening Tools and Supplies Before you can begin to cultivate your rhubarb plant in the garden, you will need to purchase some gardening equipment and supplies. These include a large spade or shovel, a pitchfork, a fork, and an iron rod. You will also need a sharp pair of gloves to help you dig up the soil and spread it evenly. If you plan to grow vegetables near your home, then you will also need a vegetable planting fork. In addition, you will want to make sure that you have a nice variety of fertilizers and compost in your garden so that your garden will grow healthy. A partial shade and moisture will also help to make sure that your garden remains healthy.
Where to Start Growing Rhubarb Plants in Your Garden If you live in an area where you get an abundance of sunlight, you should consider growing the rhubarb plant in a raised bed. This is the best way to grow this vegetable because it will grow up to 6 feet in height. You can position the bed on top of a tree in your yard or even a rock. The best place for a rhubarb plant to grow is in areas that receive lots of sunlight. However, if you live in an area where there are seasonal changes in the weather, you might consider growing your plant in a pot in a raised bed, as well.
What to Expect in the First Year of Growing Rhubarb Plants In the first year of growing a rhubarb plant, you will notice that the leaves start to grow and appear to have a stem that can be shaped in a way that resembles a flower. This will continue until the plant emerges from the ground in the spring. It will grow to about four feet high and between eight and ten inches wide. You will notice that the stalks appear to have a shape that resembles a broom. These stalks will grow throughout the growing season and continue until late summer when the plant will change color and turn brown.