Kitchen Garden Forum

My rhubarb has done exceptionally well this year but I would really like to move it to another part of my garden to increase my growing space for other crops. It will like it's new home as the conditions are very similiar to where it lives now so that isn't a concern but what I would like to know is when the best time to move it would be? It's still producing lovely rhubarb at the moment, should I move it in the Spring before it starts to shoot again or now before the ground gets too cold -it's a dilema !

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Tiny Tubar

I would move it about October and take the opportunity to split it. If it's rather old, discard the centre of the plant and replant some of the outside shoots to make new plants. Otherwise just replant the separate crowns wherever you want them and mulch them to protect them for the winter.

I moved my clump of rhubarb two years ago around the end of October when the summer crop had finished and all the stems and shoots had died off. I also took the opportunity to split it then as it had got a little unwieldy. I think that if you try and move it in early spring you could run the risk of damaging some early shoots if the winter is mild. Both clumps then sulked heavily for the first year in their new location and I had hardly any crop at all. However, this year it has bounced back and the plants are producing more than we can eat.

I have dug up and moved rhubarb roots in the past and I was always told to dig up in the latter part of the year and leave to roots exposed over the winter to the frosts.

The roots are then planted in the new year when new growth begins... this has worked well for me with no detriment to the plants at all.

You have reminded me that I too have some to move this year...thanks

Hello again, thank you for the advice, which I will certainly take. I'll wait until it's finished - it's still doing so well and then expose it to the frost and replant it.

Thanks very much, I appreciate your advice.

T.T.