When to plant Rhubarb
A bold, hardy perennial grown for its tart red stalks (the leaves are toxic — never eat them). Plant dormant crowns in spring into rich soil and resist pulling stalks the first year so the plant can establish. It then crops every spring for years.
Companions: Brassicas, beans, garlic — a permanent corner of the garden
How to grow Rhubarb
Rhubarb can be grown from seed on the schedule below. Give it full sun and space plants about 36 inches apart. It takes roughly 365 days from planting to its first harvest, so count that against your frost dates to be sure it can finish. Classic companions include brassicas, beans, garlic — a permanent corner of the garden.
Grower's tip: A hardy perennial — plant crowns in spring but wait until the second year to harvest the tart stalks.
When to plant Rhubarb by USDA zone
Timing shifts with your climate — the same rhubarb goes in weeks earlier in a mild zone than a cold one. Find your zone below for its planting window, or open that zone's full calendar.
| Zone | When to plant |
|---|---|
| Zone 1a | Transplant outdoors May 11–May 25 |
| Zone 1b | Transplant outdoors May 6–May 20 |
| Zone 2a | Transplant outdoors May 1–May 15 |
| Zone 2b | Transplant outdoors Apr 25–May 9 |
| Zone 3a | Transplant outdoors Apr 20–May 4 |
| Zone 3b | Transplant outdoors Apr 15–Apr 29 |
| Zone 4a | Transplant outdoors Apr 10–Apr 24 |
| Zone 4b | Transplant outdoors Apr 5–Apr 19 |
| Zone 5a | Transplant outdoors Mar 31–Apr 14 |
| Zone 5b | Transplant outdoors Mar 26–Apr 9 |
| Zone 6a | Transplant outdoors Mar 17–Mar 31 |
| Zone 6b | Transplant outdoors Mar 11–Mar 25 |
| Zone 7a | Transplant outdoors Mar 3–Mar 17 |
| Zone 7b | Transplant outdoors Feb 25–Mar 11 |
| Zone 8a | Transplant outdoors Feb 15–Mar 1 |
| Zone 8b | Transplant outdoors Feb 8–Feb 22 |
| Zone 9a | Transplant outdoors Jan 24–Feb 7 |
| Zone 9b | Transplant outdoors Jan 11–Jan 25 |
| Zone 10a | Transplant outdoors Dec 27–Jan 10 |
| Zone 10b | Transplant outdoors Dec 11–Dec 25 |
| Zone 11a | Transplant outdoors Nov 27–Dec 11 |
| Zone 11b | Transplant outdoors Nov 27–Dec 11 |
| Zone 12a | Transplant outdoors Nov 27–Dec 11 |
| Zone 12b | Transplant outdoors Nov 27–Dec 11 |
| Zone 13a | Transplant outdoors Nov 27–Dec 11 |
| Zone 13b | Transplant outdoors Nov 27–Dec 11 |