late planting of rhubarb?

Let's say you plant a couple of rhubarb crowns too late in the Spring season for them to start their multi-year process. Is it just a matter of leaving them in the ground, tending to them, and counting next year as the first year?

I ask because a couple days ago I realized I was about to miss my chance to order any rhubarb, so I found someone still selling and bought two crowns. The invoice they sent me includes a note that says "no guarantee due to late planting for zone 8." So that gives me pause.

I pulled the trigger because I realized the process for getting a good harvest takes a couple years, but if I'm planting too late this season, maybe I'll be waiting three. And that's going back to my original question, that even if I'm too late, it just means keeping them in the ground til next year, as opposed to for whatever reason needing to buy new crowns next year. And how can I be sure one way or the other if I planted too late? like what should I be on the lookout for to tell if I either missed the mark or got lucky and they have started?

thanks for reading and for any info, apologies if the post is a little rambly.

I have never grown rhubarb though it seems to me it is better to be late than never ...

If you don't get fruit this year, enjoy your fruit next year.

I have had a few rhubarb plants that were put into the ground in the fall that overwintered successfully. You are not going to harvest any rhubarb this year but you can set yourself up for success in the next. I'd recommend to be on-top of supplemental watering but otherwise give it a shot.

I'll plant it whenever I can.  I love rhubarb.

The ones I plant in the late winter here are usually ready to harvest after a year. The ones I plant in spring as recommended for our area, usually take two years to harvest.  The ones I plant in the late summer, 4 months in, of a six month drought, usually get set back pretty hard and take 3 to 5 years to be strong enough to harvest.   But they are more hardy and better producers long term.  They also get zero water, so that might have an influence.

My gread grandfather used to dig his rhubarb every other year and left the roots on the surface of the soil to over winter.  Apparently, he had amazing harvest, but I never had the courage to try it.

They will probably be fine planting any time so long as they aren't overwatered or harvested too early.  But your local climate will also have opinions.   It's worth a try.

As always, thanks for the insight, everybody! I'll plant them as soon as I get them, do my best to take good care of 'em and pay attention for these various potential rhythms you all describe.

r ranson wrote:My gread grandfather used to dig his rhubarb . . .

One of my childhood homes had a rhubarb plant and I remember loving the tartness. I'm happy to finally try growing my own.

r ranson wrote:My gread grandfather used to dig his rhubarb every other year and left the roots on the surface of the soil to over winter.  Apparently, he had amazing harvest, but I never had the courage to try it.

I've heard this is the custom in Yorkshire which is famous in the UK for rhubarb forcing. I guess the rhubarb prefers a bit more chill than is normal in a UK winter, so digging them up gives the crown more cold exposure than it gets underground. The benefit will depend on the degrees of cold you get I expect.

My question to J Lovejoy is - are the plants going to be bare crowns or potted plants? I guess they're a bit worried with crowns that they may not like to be transplanted once already in growth. Probably they'll be OK if strong plants. Keep them well watered so they don't dry out during the summer to give them the best chance of getting well established.

Nancy Reading wrote:are the plants going to be bare crowns or potted plants? I guess they're a bit worried with crowns that they may not like to be transplanted once already in growth. Probably they'll be OK if strong plants. Keep them well watered so they don't dry out during the summer to give them the best chance of getting well established.

I'm 95% sure they will be bare crowns. I checked the listing again and don't see anything about being potted. Oh yeah, I'll be paying them lots of attention. Hmm, I have some five gallon buckets I've drilled holes in to help regularly water my new trees. Perhaps I will use those for the rhubarb in the summer too.

noticed growth on both my rhubarb crowns today

a bit off topic but also noticed some growth on my apple tree that shipped dormant; was beginning to worry whether it was waking up or not

Wow, people are actually *selling* rhubarb plants? I have got to get in on this racket.

I'm in Zone 3, dropping down to -40 in a long winter. Rhubarb is tough as nails -- you genuinely have to try hard to kill it.

Personally if I wanted rhubarb plants I would reach out to other gardeners in the area. They would chop a plant into quarters (which is necessary!) and give you half in return for a smile and a thank-you. My 2c.

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:I'm in Zone 3, dropping down to -40 in a long winter. Rhubarb is tough as nails -- you genuinely have to try hard to kill it.

Personally if I wanted rhubarb plants I would reach out to other gardeners in the area. They would chop a plant into quarters (which is necessary!) and give you half in return for a smile and a thank-you. My 2c.

Good to hear it's such a tough plant. On top of that, I picked a variety that is supposed to grow very well in the Pacific Northwest.

Offline I'm a rather solitary person and don't know any other gardeners besides family. I'd certainly like to be able to plant-share with local people and have a bit more of a sense of community. Maybe in time I'll meet some local folks and have some connections and new friends. This is my first year doing any planting and growing.

I put some in recently. She's really thriving. I don't think I'll harvest any this year, probably wait til next year. Maybe grab one or two. They seem particular at first but once they get few stalks going they will feel at home. I plant them down hill as a border and they plants that grow near it don't have as many bugs on them.

I live in Western Washington too. You'll be fine. They do like water and love compost. I mulch them in the winter although I am not really sure it's necessary.

And for those who are interested, rhubarb is super easy to grow from seed.