Whenever I mention dividing rhubarb plants, someone tells me what a herculean task that is. Rhubarb forms a dense crown that cannot be easily sliced through. Most gardeners tell me that once you plant rhubarb, it's there for life. Well, I found an easy way to kill rhubarb - put it in the path of a groundhog. My chubby friend gnawed right through the crown last year, on his way to the squash leaves.
I don't recommend this method. I've been planning to replace my plants this spring and I noticed some crowns for sale locally, so I picked some up. Now I just have to get my soil to thaw. But it's worth it. I like the sweet-tart flavor and fresh rhubarb is much juicier than stems left sitting on store shelves. So keep an eye out for crowns and try a plant or two yourself. You don't need a lot. Although rhubarb needs a chilling period, gardeners in milder climates can easily grow rhubarb as an annual (without the shovel breaking effort of trying to divide an established plant.)
Photo: © Marie Iannotti
Comments
The leaves of rhubarb are somewhat poisonous, aren’t they?
Yes, the leaves should not be eaten. Only the ribs. I should have stated that and not assumed everyone knew that. I’ll add it now. Thanks for bringing it up.
The whole plant contains oxalic acid, but the leaves also have anthraquinone glycosides (which means very little to me) but something about the combination of the 2 makes the leaves toxic.
They also say you shouldn’t eat the stems and ribs if they’ve been hit by frost and become limp, yet I see rhubarb in the freezer section all the time.