Victoria Rhubarb History

Victoria Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) Great for pies and jams! Easy to grow springtime perennial! A must for every garden. Needs extended time below 40 degrees.

Growing Victoria Rhubarb Seeds

• Before planting, eliminate all perennial weeds.
• Choose a site that is well-drained, fertile, and preferably in full sunlight. Rhubarb does best where the average temperature falls below 40ºF in the winter and below 75ºF in the summer.
• Plant one-year rhubarb crowns in early spring as soon as the ground is workable, when the roots are still dormant and before growth begins or plants are just beginning to leaf out.
• Rhubarb can also be planted in the fall after dormancy has set in.
• Dig large bushel basket-size holes. Space rhubarb plants about 4 feet apart and plant the roots 1 to 2 inches below the surface of the soil.
• Be sure to mix compost, rotted manure, or anything high in organic matter in the soil. Rhubarb plants are heavy feeders and need this organic matter. Don’t add a chemical fertilizer when planting rhubarb or during the first year of growth. Direct contact with nitrates can kill your rhubarb plants.

Preserving And Storing Rhubarb

Spread a single layer of cut rhubarb on trays, freeze until firm (1 to 2 hours), then put in air tight bags or containers. Rhubarb may also be frozen with sugar or syrup. For a sugar pack, mix 1 part sugar and 4 parts rhubarb and allow to stand until sugar is dissolved before packing into freezer containers

Victoria Rhubarb Plant Care

• Mulch generously with a heavy layer of straw and cow manure to provide nutrients for the plant, retain moisture, and discourage weeds.
• Water your plant well. It needs sufficient moisture during the summer.
• Remove seed stalks as soon as they appear.
• After the first spring frost, apply a light sprinkling of a high-nitrogen fertilizer (25-3-3 or 10-6-4) when the ground is thawing or has just thawed, so that the fertilizer will go into the ground and not harm the roots. See your local frost dates.
• Insects and diseases won’t bother rhubarb plants as long as you keep the plants weed-free.
• Dig and split rhubarb roots every 3 to 4 years. Divide when plants are dormant in early spring (or fall).

Victoria Rhubarb Recipes

Rhubarb Crisp is a delicious and easy dessert that takes just minutes to prep! With the perfect balance between sweet and tart, everyone loves this easy recipe.

Rhubarb Nutrition

Other Rhubarb Varieties Worth Checking Out