Alaska made me fall in love with rhubarb, and this is well documented. Just read our guide to growing rhubarb in containers and you’ll see what I mean.
When my garden-savvy grandma was visiting me two summers ago, she advised me to buy a division of rhubarb from a local nursery after I raved to her about my newfound, Alaska-fueled passion for pie plant – but I procrastinated.
I figured there would always be rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) available somewhere in my new home state. But alas, finding a division or crown in the heart of wintertime was a doomed endeavor.
So instead, I bought a packet of seeds along with a nifty seed-starting tray set.
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While some gardeners advise against starting rhubarb from seed because it takes too long, I’m here to tell you that you can absolutely do it successfully.
Good things come to those who wait, am I right?
And although rhubarb grown from seeds you’ve collected from an existing plant may not look exactly like Mama Rhu, it will taste so similar you’ll hardly notice the difference.
And guess what? Growing this cool-weather crop from seed as an annual is the ideal way to propagate it for those of you who live in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 and up.
That’s right. This stellar plant can be grown as a perennial in Zones 2b-7, and in Zones 8 and up, it makes a tasty annual. See our guide to growing rhubarb in the garden to learn more.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
A Bit of BackgroundAlong with knobby-kneed plants like sorrel and buckwheat, rhubarb is a member of the Polygonaceae family.
In Latin, “Polygonum” means “many knees,” a reference to the thick-noded leaf and flower
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