Propagating rhubarb: how & when to split rhubarb
Even with its long productive life, it is always good to have a new stock of rhubarb plants. Discover the different ways of propagating rhubarb.
Grown for its flavoursome stems for crumbles and pies, rhubarb (Rheum x hybridum) is a favourite of allotments and gardens nationwide. As an easy-to-grow perennial, rhubarb tends to need little ongoing care. However, for replacement stock or to give away, you can propagate rhubarb using a variety of methods.
Propagating rhubarb: different methods
If you want to create more rhubarb plants, you can propagate rhubarb through division, cuttings or seed. However, dividing rhubarb is by far the most popular method of propagation, as it is much more successful than growing from cuttings and quicker than growing from seed.
Splitting rhubarb
Dividing or splitting rhubarb is the process of separating the crown into sections to grow on separately. Splitting rhubarb is best done when the plant is dormant in early winter, but you can also divide rhubarb in early spring.
With age, rhubarb plants can become congested and produce weak growth. Splitting rhubarb every 5 years or so will not only rejuvenate existing plants but also provide new plants to keep or give away.
To split rhubarb, carefully lift the dormant rhubarb crown and place it on a tarpaulin. With the crown lifted, you can then divide it using a small spade or a hori hori knife into smaller pieces. For the highest chance of success, ensure that each new division has at least 1 but ideally 2 to 3 buds and a section of the rhizome attached. To avoid them drying out, it is best to swiftly plant the divisions directly into the ground or pot them up using a fertile peat-free compost. Our Plantura Organic Enriched Compost is ideal, as it is enriched with essential nutrients to support the rhubarb’s vigorous growth and being peat-free, is good for the environment. Planting rhubarb crowns or divisions is similar to planting a potted specimen. However, it is important that the rhubarb crown buds or tips are planted either at soil level or just above to help prevent crown rot.
- Perfect for all crops and ornamental plants with a high nutrient requirement & for raised beds
- Improves soil quality & promotes healthy root growth
- Peat-free & organic soil: CO2-saving composition
Rhubarb cuttings
Growing rhubarb from cuttings is not a common method, as it is often unsuccessful and if the cuttings do take, you will be waiting several years until you can begin to harvest. To grow rhubarb from cuttings, cut a stem off the crown and shorten the stem by three quarters with a pair of clean and sharp secateurs. To help prevent the cutting from drying out, reduce the leaf area by about 80% before placing the stem in a glass of water. Place the glass in a bright spot and change the water daily. If and when the stem produces roots, you can then pot it up to grow on before planting out the following year.
Rhubarb from seed
Another way of propagating rhubarb is from seed. However, you need to be prepared to wait longer for a harvest than when splitting rhubarb. When growing rhubarb from seed, the plants require 3 years of growth before you can begin to take a light harvest. Rhubarb seed is best sown undercover in spring to then plant out either in the autumn or in spring the following year. You can learn more about growing rhubarb from seed in our specialist article on planting rhubarb.
Rhubarb varieties are split into early and late cropping cultivars for harvesting in March to April and April to May respectively. Learn more about the different types of rhubarb varieties available to grow in our separate article.
