Crops › Rhubarb
How to grow Rhubarb
in the UK
Sow March to April, plant out May, harvest April to June. About 730 days from seed to plate.
Rhubarb, now that's a cracking plant for the allotment. It's a proper easy-going perennial, comes back year after year, giving you some lovely stalks for crumbles and pies. Having a rhubarb patch on the plot just feels right, doesn't it?
Sowing
Now, rhubarb, it's a bit of a slow starter if you're going from seed, mind. You're looking at sowing in March or April, maybe in a seed tray indoors or a cold frame, just a centimetre or so deep. It's usually grown from crowns, though, that's the common way, and much quicker to get going. If you do go with seed, remember it's a good two years before you see any proper harvest, so patience is key, like. You'll need to prick out the seedlings once they're big enough, give 'em room.
Growing on
Most folks buy crowns, really, which you plant in spring or autumn. Give 'em a good bit of space, at least 90cm apart, because these plants get big, you know what I mean. Find a sunny spot on the plot, good drainage is vital. If you've grown from seed, plant 'em out after the last frost, usually mid to late May up here, earlier down south. The main thing is, don't harvest in that first year, let the plant get settled in properly. It'll thank you for it in the long run.
Looking after it
Once your rhubarb's in, it's pretty easy going, to be honest. Keep it watered, especially in dry spells, and a good mulch of well-rotted manure or compost around the base in spring does wonders. Helps keep the weeds down too. It's a perennial, so it'll come back year after year, just keep an eye on it.
What goes wrong
Slugs can be a bit of a nuisance when the plants are young, so keep an eye out for them. Crown rot can be an issue if the ground's too wet, so good drainage is key. Sometimes you might see little bumps on the stalks, that's often rhubarb gall midge, but usually, it doesn't do too much damage, just looks a bit funny.
Harvest
Right, so from year two onwards, you're looking at harvesting from April through to June, for about 8 to 10 weeks. Don't pull too many stalks at once, only about a third of the plant, you want to leave enough to keep it growing strong. Just twist and pull the stalks from the base, don't cut 'em. And this is important: never, ever eat the leaves, they're toxic, pet. Pop the stalks in the fridge for up to two weeks, or chop 'em up and freeze 'em for later.
When you're planting your crowns, make sure the 'nose' or the growth bud is just at soil level. It makes all the difference for a proper strong start.
Dates for your plot
Type the first half of your postcode and the plant-out advice shifts to your area's typical frost dates.
Varieties, and whether the club would grow them again
| Variety | Club verdict |
|---|---|
| Timperley Early This is a classic if you're wanting an early crop, producing lovely tender pink stalks. It's a cracking one for forcing under a pot on the plot. | No club votes yet |
| Victoria A traditional, reliable variety that gives you thick green-red stalks. You can always count on Victoria for a decent harvest. | No club votes yet |
| Champagne You get thick pink-red stalks with a really delicate flavour from this one. It's a bit of a gourmet choice, dead good for puddings. | No club votes yet |
| Glaskins Perpetual This is a good choice if you fancy growing rhubarb from seed, with a milder flavour than some others. It's a bit slower to get going, like, but very rewarding. | No club votes yet |
| Stockbridge Arrow If you want to be harvesting early, this is a very early cropper with cracking long red stalks. A good robust plant for the allotment. | No club votes yet |
| Hawkes Champagne This variety gives you a long season of excellent flavour, so you get more for your efforts. It's a great all-rounder for pies and crumbles. | No club votes yet |
| Raspberry Red As the name suggests, this one has a deep red colour right through the stalks, making for a lovely looking crumble. It's a real showstopper on the plate. | No club votes yet |
| Cawood Delight A proper heavy cropping variety from Yorkshire, so you'll get plenty of stalks from this one. Ideal if you've got a big family or like to share your produce. | No club votes yet |
| Reed Early Superb This is another reliable early variety, particularly good if you're wanting to try forcing. You'll get those lovely pale, tender stalks a bit sooner. | No club votes yet |
| Fultons Strawberry Surprise You get a lovely sweet flavour from this one, with a hint of strawberry notes, which is a bit special. It's dead nice if you're making a sweet rhubarb gin. | No club votes yet |
Votes are members rating varieties in their Seed Tin, one vote per gardener. Tap a variety for the full page and where to buy.
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Cook the harvest
Kheer is the great Indian rice pudding — slow-cooked, deeply fragrant and unashamedly rich. Here, sharp spring rhubarb is cooked down into a vivid pink compote and swirled through at the end, cutting through the sweetness of the cardamom and rose water cream with a welcome tartness. It is one of those desserts that looks far more impressive than the effort required.
60 min · mediumRhubarb does two brilliant jobs here: it slow-braises down into a tangy, almost barbecue-style sauce that coats pulled chicken thighs, and a quick-pickled version cuts through the richness in the crunchy slaw on top. This is the kind of recipe that surprises people — they cannot quite place the sharpness but they always want to know what is in it.
80 min · mediumRed lentil dal gets a sharp, fruity backbone from a generous quantity of rhubarb cooked down into the base, which softens and mellows to balance the richness of coconut milk. A final tarka of mustard seeds, curry leaves and dried chilli sizzled in coconut oil is poured over the top right before serving. This is a deeply satisfying weeknight main — put it over rice or serve it with warm flatbreads and it will become a staple when the rhubarb comes up every spring.
38 min · easyA fast, vibrant breakfast that comes together in under 20 minutes and makes the most of early-season rhubarb. The compote is warm, pink and gently sweet, spooned over cool thick yoghurt and finished with crunchy toasted oats and a drizzle of honey. It is simple, but it is genuinely one of the best ways to start the day when your rhubarb patch is going.
17 min · easyWatch for, and grow alongside
Companions: garlic, onions, brassicas, beans
Questions people ask
When do you sow Rhubarb in the UK?
Sow Rhubarb from March to April. Plant out May, after the last frost.
How long does Rhubarb take from sowing to harvest?
Roughly 730 days, with the harvest April to June.
Which Rhubarb varieties do gardeners grow again?
Club members rate every variety they grow. This page shows the grow-again votes for Timperley Early, Victoria, Champagne, Glaskins Perpetual and more.
Track your Rhubarb from packet to plate
Sowing reminders and harvest forecasts for your own frost dates, the Seed Tin, Scan Centre for any label or packet, and the Potty Mouth Garden Club. Free to start.
Allotment keeper in the North East of England, the voice behind the Tony C Smith YouTube channel, and the gardener who built GrowMore CookMore. Club numbers on this page update as members log their plots. Last updated 3 September 2026.