What Grows Well Beside Rhubarb?

Rhubarb Companion Plants

• Brassicas like broccoli, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, and cauliflower benefit from rhubarb’s ability to deter whiteflies with its scent.
• Rhubarb plants likewise protect beans by repelling black fly aphids—and can take advantage of the extra nitrogen beans put back into the soil.

What flowers can you plant next to rhubarb?

Marigolds. Companion gardening with marigolds near your rhubarb plants can help them grow better, make the leaves less susceptible to diseases and pests. Marigolds also attract predatory insects, which will go after other bugs attacking nearby plants while not harming any of the marigolds.

What should I put around my rhubarb?

Cover the crown with soil/organic matter mix at about 2″ deep. Water each plant with 1-2 gallons of water at planting. Place a 4″ to 6″ deep layer of organic mulch around each plant and over all tilled area. Use pine wood shavings, pine needles or bark mulch.

Can tomatoes be planted near rhubarb?

Rhubarb needs full sun so other crops that provide too much shade can cause problems with adequate sunlight. Tomatoes and rhubarb as a companion crop combo will attract too many pests.

Can I plant sunflowers next to rhubarb?

Sunflowers are great arugula companion plants, BUT they’re terrible for rhubarb! Sunflowers are susceptible to the same weevil, rhubarb curculio, and planting these two in close vicinity is just ringing the dinner bell for these pests! Try to plant your sunflowers in another part of the garden!

What should you not plant near rhubarb?

For example, rhubarb, sunflowers, and thistles are all susceptible to curculios, a weevil that bores into cylindrical stalks to lay its eggs, and should not be planted near one another.

What is the best location to plant rhubarb?

full sun
It performs best in full sun. Avoid shady sites near large trees or shrubs. Rhubarb also requires fertile, well-drained soils that are high in organic matter. Sandy and clay soils can be improved by incorporating large quantities of compost or other forms of organic matter into the soil before planting.

Why can’t you eat rhubarb in the first year?

Harvesting Rhubarb It’s not recommended to harvest any stems in the first year, no matter how proud and excited you are about your new addition. This will weaken the plant, which needs a full first year of growth to establish a strong root system.

Is it OK to mulch around rhubarb?

Spread a layer of organic mulch, such as dried leaves or straw, around the rhubarb plant. The mulch keeps the weeds down and helps the soil retain moisture. You can use thick cardboard or several layers of newspaper if other mulch is not available.

How do you make rhubarb grow better?

Rhubarb grows best in full sun, but will tolerate partial shade. Choose a site with soil that is well-draining and fertile. Good drainage is essential, as rhubarb will rot if kept too wet. Mix compost, rotted manure, or anything high in organic matter into the soil.

Do blueberries and rhubarb grow well together?

Garden Fruits and Vegetables
Blueberries are first thought of as garden plants because they bear fruit. They can remain in the garden along with other food-bearing plants, like raspberries (Rubus spp.), rhubarb (Rheum spp.) or cranberries (also a Vaccinium), that share the same tolerance for acid soils and climate.

Can you plant strawberries next to rhubarb?

Strawberries and rhubarb are great companion plants that enjoy the same location and soil conditions.

Can I plant raspberries next to rhubarb?

We have had success growing raspberries and blueberries near rhubarb, although the harvest times differ.

How much space does rhubarb need?

Quick Guide to Growing Rhubarb
Give rhubarb room to spread out by planting them 4 to 6 feet apart. Improve your native soil by mixing in several inches of aged compost or other rich organic matter. When hot weather arrives, apply a 2-inch layer of mulch to keep soil moist and help block weeds.

Does rhubarb like full sun?

Rhubarb thrives in full sun but will yield to light shade. Select a location that gives plants ample room; individual rhubarb plants can measure up to four feet wide and tall. Plant crowns in spring as soon as soil is workable.

How do you grow thick rhubarb stalks?

To grow rhubarb with longer, thicker leaf stalks; cover the plant with a bottomless box in early spring. The stalks will grow longer reaching for the light. Cut flowers or seed stalks as soon as they appear.

Does rhubarb spread on its own?

Space roots two to three feet apart. They will spread and fill in open spaces. The plants tolerate a little crowding, but the stalks and leaves will grow bigger and healthier if you allow them plenty of space. A few plants are all you will need for a home garden.

How do you winterize rhubarb plants?

Dig up the crowns in late fall and put them in a pot. Let them stay outside during at least two freeze periods. Then move the crowns inside where the crown will warm up. Put the pots in a dark area and cover the crowns with peat or sawdust.

Does rhubarb come back every year?

Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) is a different sort of vegetable in that it is a perennial, which means it will come back every year. Rhubarb is great for pies, sauces and jellies, and goes especially well with strawberries; so you may want to plant both.

Are coffee grounds good for rhubarb plants?

Most vegetables like soil on the slightly alkaline side, but acid-loving vegetables like radishes, parsley, potatoes, peppers and rhubarb can get a boost from fresh coffee grounds.

What month is best to plant rhubarb?

Rhubarb crowns are best planted in autumn or spring. Rhubarb crowns and budded pieces are best planted in autumn or spring, while the soil is warm and moist. If you’ve grown your rhubarb in a pot, this can be planted out at any time of the year as long as the soil is not frozen, waterlogged or suffering from drought.