Locating Rhubarb Crowns near Me: A Buyer’s Guide

Rhubarb is a cold-hardy perennial vegetable that produces tasty tart stalks ideal for pies, jams, and sauces. While you can grow rhubarb from seed, it takes several years to harvest. A faster route is buying rhubarb crowns or roots from a local nursery or online retailer. If you’re wondering where to find rhubarb crowns for sale near me, this guide covers sourcing, selecting, and planting rhubarb.

What are Rhubarb Crowns?

Rhubarb crowns are a section of rhizome and root system from an established rhubarb plant Crowns contain growth buds that rapidly generate new shoots and leaves when planted They are a form of vegetative propagation,

Crowns harvested in winter or early spring provide an instant supply of vigorous rhubarb plants. Gardeners can harvest rhubarb stalks in just a year after planting crowns versus 3-5 years from seed.

Rhubarb crowns contain enough stored energy reserves to establish quickly and robustly when transferred to suitable growing conditions. The buds sprout thick hollow stalks and large leaves.

Benefits of Buying Rhubarb Crowns

Here are some of the top advantages of purchasing rhubarb crowns compared to growing from seed:

• Fast harvest – Crowns produce stalks for harvesting in just 1-2 years versus 3-5 years from seed.

• Higher success rate – Crowns establish more readily than fussy rhubarb seeds.

• Genetic uniformity – All plants from a crown are identical clones, ideal for reliability.

• Wider selection – Nurseries offer dozens of rhubarb crown varieties to suit any need.

• Larger plants – Crowns quickly size up into mature plants versus slow seedlings.

• Known attributes – You can select crowns for specific color, yield, flavor and growth.

For these reasons, the majority of home gardeners opt to source rhubarb crowns rather than growing from seed. Purchased crowns give you a head start on harvest.

Where to Buy Rhubarb Crowns

Rhubarb crowns are available from:

• Local nurseries and garden centers – Look for varieties suited to your growing zone. Purchase in spring or fall.

• Farmer’s markets and roadside stands – Markets may have local rhubarb crowns in season. Ask vendors.

• Mail order nurseries – Reputable online vendors ship bareroot crowns in spring and fall.

• Harvesting your own – Carefully divide large, mature rhubarb clumps in early spring.

Check with local nurseries first to find the best selections for your climate. Online mail order provides the widest variety choices if local selection is limited.

When buying crowns, look for plump root sections with 2-5 pinkish buds on rhizomes. Avoid shriveled, dry, or mushy crowns.

Selecting the Best Rhubarb Crowns

With many rhubarb varieties available, how do you select the right crowns for your needs? Here are key attributes to look for:

• Cold hardiness – Choose crowns suited for your USDA plant hardiness zone.

• Stalk color – Green, pink, or red stalks. Red varieties tend to be most robust.

• Time to maturity – Early, midseason or late harvest times. Stagger for long harvests.

• Yield – High-yielding crowns produce the most stalks per plant over time.

• Size – Compact crowns for containers or large crowns for in-ground planting.

• Flavor – From tart pop to sweet mild to fruity overtones.

Match the above traits with your specific preferences and growing conditions for best results.

Popular heirloom rhubarb varieties include Victoria, Cherry Red, MacDonald, and Champagne. Top hybrids are Valentine, Crimson Red, and Canada Red. Ask your local nursery for ideal recommendations.

When to Buy Rhubarb Crowns

Rhubarb crowns are sold as dormant, bare-root divisions ideal for spring or fall planting:

• Spring – Potted crowns become available starting in early spring. Choose the largest, most mature crowns.

• Fall – Crowns are dug and packaged through early winter while fully dormant.

Spring crowns can be planted out immediately. Fall crowns should be stored in a cool place over winter until the ground thaws.

Fall planting gives roots time to establish before active growth resumes in spring. But spring planting works well too in areas with longer growing seasons.

How to Plant Rhubarb Crowns

Prepare a sunny, fertile garden spot before planting rhubarb crowns. Improve drainage if needed. Amend soil with compost or well-rotted manure. Top dress with balanced organic fertilizer.

Dig planting holes 12-18 inches wide and deep. Space crowns 2-3 feet apart in rows 3 feet apart. Mound soil in the bottom of each hole.

Place crowns horizontally on mounds with the buds facing up. Spread roots out evenly. Cover crowns with 2-3 inches of soil, keeping the buds near the surface.

Water newly planted crowns well. Top dress with mulch to retain moisture. Avoid harvesting the first year. Only take a few stalks in year two. You can harvest fully in year three.

Caring for Rhubarb Crowns

Here are some tips for growing vigorous, productive rhubarb from crowns:

• Water 1-2 inches per week for fastest establishment and growth.

• Mulch around crowns to conserve moisture and reduce weeds.

• Fertilize in early spring and again after harvest with organic nitrogen fertilizer.

• Remove flower stalks to direct energy into the roots and leaves.

• Harvest stalks by twisting rather than cutting to avoid disease.

• Split mature plants every 5-10 years to stimulate growth.

• Remove tattered leaves in fall and mulch plants for winter protection.

Proper planting paired with attentive care results in a long-lived rhubarb patch providing bountiful harvests for a decade or longer.

Enjoying the Fruits of Rhubarb Crowns

The tantalizing tang of rhubarb adds unique flavor and nutrition to spring and summer dishes. Sour stalks meld beautifully with fruits, sugar, spices and other ingredients in:

• Pies – classic rhubarb-strawberry or rhubarb cream pies

• Compotes and jams – sweetened rhubarb sauce

• Tarts – freeform rhubarb galettes

• Crisps and buckles – rhubarb with oats and crumble toppings

• Snacking – dipped in yogurt or swirled into ice cream

With so many options, the modest rhubarb crown yields versatility and homemade goodness for years on end. Seek out top-quality crowns from reputable vendors this season. Then settle in to enjoy your first bountiful rhubarb harvest next spring.