Growing Rhubarb in Australia: The Complete Guide
Rhubarb is an easy perennial vegetable to grow, needing full–part sun with regular watering.
We get asked about rhubarb often enough that it's worth setting out the full picture here, beyond what fits on our printable card.
Dividing crowns
Every 5–8 years, lift a mature crown and split it into sections, each with at least one healthy bud. Replant shallow — the bud should sit just below the soil surface.
How to Plant Rhubarb
Method — plant divided crowns with the bud just below the surface — never buried deep. Soil — rich, well-drained — heavy feeder. Dig in plenty of aged manure or compost. Timing — plant dormant crowns in late winter to early spring.
Ongoing Care
The key things to get right:
- Water deeply and regularly — stalks turn thin and stringy if it dries out.
- Feed generously with compost each spring and again after the main harvest.
- Remove flowering stalks promptly to keep energy in leaf and stalk growth.
- Mulch well to retain moisture and suppress weeds around the crown.
Problems to Watch For
A few things matter most here:
- Crown rot — from waterlogged soil; improve drainage, keep mulch off the crown.
- Slugs and snails — target new spring growth; use barriers or hand-pick at dusk.
- Leaf spot — fungal spotting in humid weather; remove affected leaves.
- Thin stalks — overcrowding, drought, or an ageing crown needing division.
Harvest and Storage
Signs — stalks reach 30–40cm and are firm; skip thin, weak ones. Method — pull and twist stalks from the base. Never eat the leaves — they're toxic. Curing — none needed. Storage — fridge, wrapped, 1–2 weeks. Freezes well chopped.
That's the full picture behind rhubarb. The printable A4 version of this guide — with the quick-reference gauges and diagram in one page — is available on the main guide page below.