Article: Rhubarb is a cool-season plant that requires temperatures that drop below 40F (4C) in order to stimulate growth. The northern states in the US as well as Canada are good places to grow rhubarb. Check your growing zone to find out if you can grow rhubarb in the climate where you live. Rhubarb grows best in USDA hardiness zones 3-8. This includes much of the northern parts of the Midwest as well as the northeastern regions of the US. Rhubarb wilts during the heat of hot southern summers. If you live in a southern region where it regularly goes above 75F (24C), it will probably be difficult to grow this plant. Rhubarb is best grown from roots (crowns), not seed, since the seeds take a long time to get established and there's no guarantee they'll ever germinate. Go to your local nursery and buy rhubarb roots or purchase some from an online source. If you have a friend with a rhubarb plant, you may be able to dig up a crown from the side of their plant to get yours started. Rhubarb should be planted in an area in full sun. Look for a spot that drains well, since rhubarb won't do as well if water sits around its base. To determine whether soil drains well, dig a hole and fill it with water. If the water sits in the hole, the soil there doesn't drain well. If it immediately soaks into the ground, the soil is great for planting rhubarb. You may want to stick a ruler in the hole so that you can measure how quickly it drains. Ideally the water should drain out at a rate of 1-3 inches per hour. If it drains too fast, your plant will dry out; too slow and the roots may rot. Clear out weeds and other plants that may interfere with the rhubarb plants. Till your gardening bed to a depth of several feet and mix in plenty of compost, rotted manure or other organic matter to enrich the soil. This step is essential, since rhubarb needs plenty of nutrients to grow well. You can also consider building a raised bed to plant your rhubarb and other vegetables. This way you can control the soil drainage and weed population more easily. Don't treat the area with herbicides or pesticides; rhubarb should only be planted in clean soil. Don't use chemical fertilizer to treat the soil during the first year of growth; only organic material should be used until the second or third year. Rhubarb plants can grow to become quite large, so it's important to give them plenty of space. Dig the holes in rows. Place the roots in the holes and gently fill them in with compost-rich soil. Water the roots after planting.
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Determine whether you're in the right growing zone. Get rhubarb crowns to plant in the spring. Choose a planting site. Prepare the soil for planting. Dig 45 inch (10.212.7cm) holes 34 feet (0.91.2m) apart. Plant the roots 2 inches (5.1cm) below the surface of the ground.