Indiana Berry

Rhubarb is a popular source for pies and sauces.  We recommend planting in EARLY SPRING while the soil is still cool. Bare root crowns not shipped after may 15th, dependent upon location. Fertile well-drained soil with a low compost percentage is best suited for this garden crop. Avoid areas that do not drain well or contain clay; which can cause crown rot. Rhubarb prefers cool, moist summers with daytime temperatures that do not exceed 90 F, and winter temperatures below 40 F. 
  Rhubarb roots should be planted in early spring before soil heats. Set rows 5-6 feet apart and plant 3 feet apart within the row. Plant in shallow furrows so the crown will be 1/2" - 1" below the soil. It is better to plant too shallow than too deep. You should see new green growth in about 2 weeks. Do not pick stalks during the first year of growth; as this allows the plant to strengthen. A light picking may be taken during the second year of growth; the third year, harvest for no more than 4 weeks and begin full harvest the following year for up to 10 weeks. DO not remove more 1/2 of the developed stalks from any plant at one time. Rhubarb stalks are usually harvested when they are twelve inches or longer; don't cut them from the plant; rather twist the base of the stalks while giving a little upward pull. The leaves contain a high amount of oxalic acid which will irritate the mouth and should not be eaten. You may notice clusters of flower buds arising on hollow stalks, this is called "bolting" and takes much of the food reserves away from the plant, so it is best to remove the flower stalks as soon as they appear and discard. A light application of manure or mulch is beneficial in late fall or early winter but do not cover the crowns with a deep layer. Early spring before new growth starts apply, 1 cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer around plants.  Each season after harvesting is completed, side-dress with 1/3 pound of ammonium nitrate per 100 square feet (1 teaspoon per 3 square feet) of bed space to encourage top growth. It is important that the plant build up a good reserve of food during the growing season. This reserve food, which is stored in the root system, improves the quality and yield of next season’s early spring crop
 

Seedstalks or Bolting is caused by:

• Variety – Some varieties of rhubarb flower more than others. Heirloom varieties tend to flower more than modern cultivars.
• Maturity – Plants need to reach a certain maturity in order to reproduce through seed. For a rhubarb plant, that maturity comes a few years after it is planted. The older a rhubarb plant is, the more the rhubarb goes to seed.
• Heat – Rhubarb plants grow best in cooler temperatures. If you have an unusually warm spring, this can cause a rhubarb to start flowering.
• Stress – Stress can also force a rhubarb to flower. Stress can come in the form of a lack of water, pests, lack of nutrients or animal damage. Anything that makes the plant feel threatened can cause it to start flowering.